conflagration

noun

con·​fla·​gra·​tion ˌkän-flə-ˈgrā-shən How to pronounce conflagration (audio)
Synonyms of conflagration
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 of conflagration

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
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.
And the Hawk fire is the latest example of the growing threat of destructive urban conflagrations in these zones as the planet warms, vegetation dries out and wildfires become more destructive. — Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Since the conflagration of 1871, brick has been the workaday material of choice throughout the city’s neighborhoods. — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 In their terrifying report, these researchers spell out the doomsday denouement of most of the planet’s peoples following a nuclear conflagration. — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026 These conflagrations follow the historic fires that raged in France and Spain last month, displacing hundreds of thousands of residents. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conflagration

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin conflagrātiōn-, conflagrātiō, from conflagrāre "to be destroyed by fire, be burnt down" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at conflagrant

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of conflagration was in 1600

Rhymes for conflagration

See All Rhymes for conflagration

Browse Nearby Words

conflagrate
conflagration
conflagrator
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Conflagration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conflagration. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

conflagration

noun
con·​fla·​gra·​tion ˌkän-flə-ˈgrā-shən How to pronounce conflagration (audio)
: a large disastrous fire
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All