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.
Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2025 Canadian wildfire smoke has already moved into northwest Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan this weekend. Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 21 July 2025 Two wildfires in northern Arizona have burned over 70,000 acres, as of July 20, 2025. Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 20 July 2025 Fossil fuel pollution — alongside other compounding factors — has transformed these months into a time of mounting peril, punctuated by relentless heat waves, rampant wildfires and catastrophic flooding. Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 20 July 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 24 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

wildfire

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