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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of conflagration
Many of the chemical catalysts and intermediates that were used to create commercially popular dyes like sulfur black and crystal violet also made great explosives, as was clear from the conflagrations that would break out with some regularity at dye works.
—
Kory Stamper, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
The conflagration turned more than 14,021 acres to ash, killed 19 people, destroyed 9,414 structures, and badly burned another 1,074.
—Pat Maio, Daily News, 28 Mar. 2026
The Great Kanto Earthquake and the ensuing conflagration killed 140,000 people, traumatized the country, and set back Japanese industrial production for years.
—Joshua Hammer, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
In the past, geopolitical conflagrations have been framed as a matter primarily for nation states to address.
—Justin Worland, Time, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for conflagration
Kory Stamper, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
The conflagration turned more than 14,021 acres to ash, killed 19 people, destroyed 9,414 structures, and badly burned another 1,074.
—Pat Maio, Daily News, 28 Mar. 2026
The Great Kanto Earthquake and the ensuing conflagration killed 140,000 people, traumatized the country, and set back Japanese industrial production for years.
—Joshua Hammer, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
In the past, geopolitical conflagrations have been framed as a matter primarily for nation states to address.
—Justin Worland, Time, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for conflagration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conflagration
Noun
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Pratt took aim at Bass over the lack of water available during the inferno, with fire hydrants running dry.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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Chile’s inferno was fueled by extreme heat, with temperatures pushing above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and abnormally dry conditions — but it was also driven by human changes to the landscape.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Since Iran closed the strait in late February following the outbreak of hostilities, tankers have bottlenecked across the region as the vital oil chokepoint remains largely shut.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
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The Israeli military offensive in Lebanon has wiped out nearly a quarter of agricultural land in areas touched by hostilities, the Lebanese government reported today, as lethal strikes battered parts of the south.—
Mustafa Qadri,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Twelve people were injured in the fire, five of whom were taken to hospitals for treatment, according to an airport spokesperson.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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The vehicle then caught fire, but firefighters were able to put out the flames.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The stabbing of two men in a Jewish neighborhood in London appears to be the latest in a series of antisemitic attacks in the United Kingdom since the beginning of the American-Israeli war against Iran, in late February.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
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Thirty-two ships have been hit with missiles since the beginning of the war, resulting in 10 deaths and at least a dozen injuries, according to the International Maritime Organization, or IMO.—
Alejandra Jaramillo,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Conflagration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conflagration. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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