wildfire

noun

1
: a sweeping and destructive conflagration especially in a wilderness or a rural area
2
3
: a phosphorescent glow (such as ignis fatuus or fox fire)
4
: a destructive leaf-spot disease of tobacco caused by several strains of a bacterium (Pseudomonas syringae)
Phrases
like wildfire
: very rapidly
the news spread like wildfire

Examples of wildfire in a Sentence

The recent wildfires were made worse by the strong winds.
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.
Forecasters expect the heaviest rain to fall Thursday and Friday in Southern California, where thousands of acres of land burned in a series of deadly wildfires last month is vulnerable to landslides and debris runoff. Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025 Unprecedented wildfires in California burned over 16,000 homes and structures in January. Marie Owens Powell, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025 And the widespread wildfires in Los Angeles last month could have led consumers there to cut back even further. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2025 Florida businesses still recovering from Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton are eligible for disaster loans, as are Southern California business owners whose enterprises were destroyed by the wildfires that devastated vast tracts of Greater Los Angeles. David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for wildfire 

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wildfire was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near wildfire

Cite this Entry

“Wildfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wildfire. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

wildfire

noun
: an uncontrollable fire that destroys a wide area
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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