Definition of conflagrationnext
1
as in inferno
a destructive burning the historic tavern burned to the ground in a horrible conflagration

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2
as in hostilities
a state of armed violent struggle between states, nations, or groups what began as a skirmish over disputed territory erupted into a conflagration that swept the continent

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of conflagration Fourteen people were injured — two critically — in the conflagration and taken to local hospitals. Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026 Under a blockade by fire, as with a traditional blockade, the damage to Taiwan occurs through increasing supply shortages and rising prices, not conflagrations in Taiwan’s major cities. Eugene Gholz, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2026 The conflagration began near Hogan Dam Road and Gann Road, according to the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office. Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2026 If people want to keep conflagrations in check, nature needs people. M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conflagration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conflagration
Noun
  • An arson suspect’s rallying cry sparks furor A 30-year-old forklift driver is accused of livestreaming the massive Kimberly-Clark warehouse blaze in Ontario, turning a $500-million toilet paper inferno into a viral protest over wages and capitalism.
    Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Hiding underneath a desk in a classroom was an 8-foot python, which fire officials say started the inferno.
    Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Standoff Military hostilities in the region intensified in recent days, reviving fears of a return to broader war.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Oil jumped by more than 5% to $95 a barrel, while Asian stocks slid over worries the latest attacks point to protracted hostilities.
    Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • On Monday, Fort Smith Police Officer Jonathan Mounts and his family lost their home and belongings in a house fire, according to a Facebook post from the Fort Smith Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 39.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Some 200 emergency personnel responded, finding the plane with heavy flames and smoke from a complex engine compartment fire, the department said.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Trump on Wednesday said energy prices that have been elevated due to the Iran war will not come down until after the midterm elections, which are due in November.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The senior Iranian official said the country has been rebuilding its military capabilities since the most intense period of the war ended in April and has enough missiles for a lengthy conflict.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Conflagration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conflagration. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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