inferno
noun
in·fer·no
in-ˈfər-(ˌ)nō 
plural infernos
: a place or a state that resembles or suggests hell
the inferno of war
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
For homeowners in Illinois and across the country, the Getty’s resilience against the inferno holds important lessons.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2025
Many never left and miraculously survived the inferno that stormed through Eaton Canyon and headed toward their suburban streets.
—Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Toxic ash, hazardous waste and charred debris left in the wake of the infernos must be cleaned up, plus repairs to infrastructure such as water and electricity, officials said.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 17 Jan. 2025
Unusually strong Santa Ana winds topped off decades of decisions about land management and urban planning—setting a stage for sparks (with a still unknown origin) that ignited some of the most destructive infernos in California’s admittedly fire-prone history.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 17 Jan. 2025
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The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2025
Many never left and miraculously survived the inferno that stormed through Eaton Canyon and headed toward their suburban streets.
—Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Toxic ash, hazardous waste and charred debris left in the wake of the infernos must be cleaned up, plus repairs to infrastructure such as water and electricity, officials said.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 17 Jan. 2025
Unusually strong Santa Ana winds topped off decades of decisions about land management and urban planning—setting a stage for sparks (with a still unknown origin) that ignited some of the most destructive infernos in California’s admittedly fire-prone history.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for inferno
Articles Related to inferno
Dictionary Entries Near inferno
Cite this Entry
“Inferno.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inferno. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inferno
noun
in·fer·no
in-ˈfər-nō
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"
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