conflagration

noun

con·​fla·​gra·​tion ˌkän-flə-ˈgrā-shən 

1

: fire

especially : a large disastrous fire

The conflagration destroyed the warehouses.

2

: conflict, war

The conflagration between the two countries lasted for ten years.

Synonyms

• fire
• holocaust
• inferno

Examples of conflagration in a Sentence

The treaty is the latest attempt to resolve the ten-year conflagration.

the historic tavern burned to the ground in a horrible conflagration

Recent Examples on the Web

In urban conflagrations, like the ones in Los Angeles, flames go horizontal in the gale-force winds, turning a burning home into a blow-torch trained upon its neighbors. —Calmatters, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2025

Given that much of the CMEC runs directly through active conflict zones, the post-coup conflagration has disrupted many of Beijing’s investments in the country. —Ye Myo Hein, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2025

Wednesday’s conflagration was the second house fire to kill a young girl in Newark in the past six months. —Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2025

But in the resulting crash, as flames burst all around and the pilot’s bodies go limp, the camera in the cockpit finds Fielder, standing against the conflagration. —Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin conflagration-, conflagratio, from conflagrare — see conflagrant

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for conflagration

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

conflagration

noun

con·​fla·​gra·​tion ˌkän-flə-ˈgrā-shən 

: a large disastrous fire