1
as in fires
a destructive burning
the historic tavern burned to the ground in a horrible conflagration
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 conflagrations
She was involved, of course, but not in the direct line of fire in either of these conflagrations.
—
Kate Aurthur, Variety, 21 Nov. 2025
But, throughout the decades, housing developments crept toward wildlands, the climate warmed, and fires increasingly escalated into unstoppable urban conflagrations.
—Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
As Southern California nears the heart of wildfire season, rebuilding is merely inching forward in areas hit by the most destructive conflagrations in Los Angeles history.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
King commanding the stage with inventive conflagrations, fleet unison fingerwork by Collier and Philion, Rogers-Kaufman offering solos both cerebral and thrilling, and Damien winging through long features with the agility of a sparrow.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
Three years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and almost two years into Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, both conflagrations have reached new heights.
—Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
Kate Aurthur, Variety, 21 Nov. 2025
But, throughout the decades, housing developments crept toward wildlands, the climate warmed, and fires increasingly escalated into unstoppable urban conflagrations.
—Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
As Southern California nears the heart of wildfire season, rebuilding is merely inching forward in areas hit by the most destructive conflagrations in Los Angeles history.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
King commanding the stage with inventive conflagrations, fleet unison fingerwork by Collier and Philion, Rogers-Kaufman offering solos both cerebral and thrilling, and Damien winging through long features with the agility of a sparrow.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
Three years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and almost two years into Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, both conflagrations have reached new heights.
—Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conflagrations
Noun
-
By year’s end, some 9,917 fires scorched more than four million acres, accelerating flash floods and mudflow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Shortly after the fires, the federal government suddenly refused to adhere to California’s decades-old post-fire soil-testing policy; California later considered following suit.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Those presidents asked for permission to conduct hostilities because the supreme law of the land, the Constitution, unambiguously vests the war power in Congress.—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
3 Jan. 2026
-
Almost three years since the start of the Sudanese civil war, there are few signs of the hostilities ending soon, with experts fearing the world’s gravest humanitarian crisis could yet worsen.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Or perhaps that is the concern conjured by the hysteria of Y2K—with its fads of fears pumped by a skepticism over technology and wars people could not hold so freshly after the recession of the early 1990s.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Russia’s losses in Ukraine are five times higher than its total losses from all Russian and Soviet wars since World War II combined, including the Afghanistan war and two Chechen wars, the report says.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Compared to conflicts involving major powers since World War II, Moscow’s losses are staggering.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Geopolitical tensions, from ongoing conflicts to trade frictions, add fuel to gold’s safe-haven appeal.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Conflagrations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conflagrations. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
