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

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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.
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

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

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Browse Nearby Words

conflagrate
conflagration
conflagrator
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Cite this Entry

“Conflagration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conflagration. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

conflagration

noun
con·​fla·​gra·​tion ˌkän-flə-ˈgrā-shən How to pronounce conflagration (audio)
: a large disastrous fire

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