inferno

noun

in·​fer·​no in-ˈfər-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce inferno (audio)
plural infernos
: a place or a state that resembles or suggests hell
the inferno of war
also : an intense fire : conflagration
a raging inferno

Examples of inferno in a Sentence

By the time help arrived, the fire had grown to a raging inferno. the intense heat of the raging inferno repeatedly drove back the firefighters
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.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday that 18 suspects have been arrested for alleged arson amid the inferno, which has spread across more than 5,000 acres in the foothills of Jerusalem over the past two days. Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025 With too little carbon dioxide, Earth can become a frozen wasteland, and with too much, a sweltering inferno. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 16 Apr. 2025 The documentary captures a sheriff’s deputy reminiscing about her car slowing in the middle of an inferno as her tires melted. Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025 In between those stretches, Minnesota was a blazing inferno, hitting 20 of 35 attempts from beyond the arc to blitz the Lakers in Game 1. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 20 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inferno

Word History

Etymology

Italian, hell, from Late Latin infernus

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inferno was in 1834

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inferno.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inferno. Accessed 19 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

inferno

noun
in·​fer·​no in-ˈfər-nō How to pronounce inferno (audio)
plural infernos
: a place or state that resembles or suggests hell especially in great heat or raging fire
Etymology

from Italian inferno "underworld, hell," from Latin infernus (same meaning), from earlier infernus (adjective) "lying beneath, in the lower regions"

More from Merriam-Webster on inferno

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!