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wildfire

noun

1
: a sweeping and destructive conflagration especially in a wilderness or a rural area
2
3
: a phosphorescent glow (such as ignis fatuus or fox fire)
4
: a destructive leaf-spot disease of tobacco caused by several strains of a bacterium (Pseudomonas syringae)
Phrases
like wildfire
: very rapidly
the news spread like wildfire

Examples of wildfire in a Sentence

The recent wildfires were made worse by the strong winds.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The wildfire has been burning on private land. Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Nov. 2025 On January 13, less than a week after the wildfire stormed through Altadena, the Eaton Fire was barely a third contained and the death toll was still rising. Cheri Mossburg, CNN Money, 26 Nov. 2025 Nowhere was that more true than with Rebuilding (in theaters now), in which O’Connor plays Dusty, a cowboy coping with the aftermath of a wildfire destroying his Colorado ranch. Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025 Efforts are currently underway in North Carolina, Georgia, Jamaica, Haiti, Ukraine, Sudan and Los Angeles, where CORE is deep in a multi-year recovery following January’s catastrophic wildfires. Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 25 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wildfire

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wildfire was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wildfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wildfire. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

wildfire

noun
: an uncontrollable fire that destroys a wide area
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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