wildfire

noun

wild·​fire ˈwī(-ə)ld-ˌfī(-ə)r How to pronounce wildfire (audio)
Synonyms of wildfirenext
1
: a sweeping and destructive conflagration especially in a wilderness or a rural area
2
: greek fire
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)
see also:
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.
Twenty miles from the start of stage eight in Puçol, the biggest wildfire in 40 years in the city of Valencia was close to being extinguished but was still burning. — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Our own Fire Chief Tony Marrone has said that eliminating the entire deer population would increase the risk of wildfire on the island. — Noe Padilla, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Poppe said the company was putting off $2 billion in work — not for wildfire mitigation or safety, but for housing developments, renewable energy projects and other efforts. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 The Ross wildfire currently scorching two North Texas counties was caused by a vehicle or other equipment on a roadside, officials with the Texas A&M Forest Service have determined. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026 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

Phrases Containing wildfire

Rhymes for wildfire

See All Rhymes for wildfire

Browse Nearby Words

wild fig
wildfire
wild flag
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wildfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wildfire. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

wildfire

noun
wild·​fire ˈwī(ə)l(d)-ˌfī(ə)r How to pronounce wildfire (audio)
: an uncontrollable fire that destroys a wide area

More from Merriam-Webster on wildfire

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for wildfire

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wildfire

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