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

Initially, Common Space founder Brent Knapp joined other breweries in a donation drive, collecting clothing, food and other supplies for people the conflagration had made homeless. —Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025

Even as the fire was raging, officials bitterly complained about conflicting policies that exacerbated the conflagration. —Calmatters, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025

That 1993 conflagration lapped at the windows of my childhood home; the Palisades Fire finally burned it down. —Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2025

Those are just some of the cascading consequences from the deadly conflagrations. —Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 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