conflagrations

Definition of conflagrationsnext
plural of conflagration
1
as in fires
a destructive burning the historic tavern burned to the ground in a horrible conflagration

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2
as in hostilities
a state of armed violent struggle between states, nations, or groups what began as a skirmish over disputed territory erupted into a conflagration that swept the continent

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of conflagrations Many of the chemical catalysts and intermediates that were used to create commercially popular dyes like sulfur black and crystal violet also made great explosives, as was clear from the conflagrations that would break out with some regularity at dye works. Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026 Many of the chemical catalysts and intermediates that were used to create commercially popular dyes like sulfur black and crystal violet also made great explosives, as was clear from the conflagrations that would break out with some regularity at dye works. Kory Stamper, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 Israel says its operation in Lebanon aims to destroy Hezbollah, and its scope has already exceeded previous conflagrations between the nation and the Shiite group. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026 In the past, geopolitical conflagrations have been framed as a matter primarily for nation states to address. Justin Worland, Time, 13 Mar. 2026 The Disciple, which premiered last night at Sundance, is designed first and foremost as a portrait of Cilvaringz, and doubles as a testament to both the lingua franca power of hip-hop and the ability of obsession to fuel four-alarm conflagrations of creative ambition. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026 She was involved, of course, but not in the direct line of fire in either of these conflagrations. Kate Aurthur, Variety, 21 Nov. 2025 But, throughout the decades, housing developments crept toward wildlands, the climate warmed, and fires increasingly escalated into unstoppable urban conflagrations. Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025 As Southern California nears the heart of wildfire season, rebuilding is merely inching forward in areas hit by the most destructive conflagrations in Los Angeles history. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conflagrations
Noun
  • The video pans to an airstream on his Pacific Palisades property, which was destroyed by the devastating LA fires early last year.
    Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Every edit, regeneration, and follow-up question a worker fires into a frontier model is training data, aggregated across hundreds of millions of users and tens of billions of conversations.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Though active hostilities have paused for the moment, the conflict has already exacted a tragic toll on combatants and civilians alike, threatened global stability and underscored in stark relief the grim reality of war.
    William E. Lori, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
  • German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Saturday his country is sending minesweeper ships to the Mediterranean to help remove Iranian mines from the strait once hostilities end.
    Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Now, infernos sweep through populous towns and cities.
    Susie Neilson, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • Now the edge is getting pushed yet again, as the culture transitions from the memeification of one man’s death to delighting in the real-time memes of wars.
    Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Plenty of others haven’t engaged with the book at all, instead using its premise — and ironically, Hathaway’s role as a female producer on the film — as fodder for the ever-raging American culture wars.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Since one of the metaphorical aspects of the script concerns how swiftly conflicts can flare up from small disagreements into major knock-down-drag-out fights, showing the violence and bared-teeth snarling is appropriate, a lighter touch could work, too.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Determined to rise to the occasion and work out every possible kink, Daisy sets out to resolve conflicts between the stews and in the galley.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Conflagrations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conflagrations. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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