wildfire
noun
wild·fire
ˈwī(-ə)ld-ˌfī(-ə)r 
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)
Examples of wildfire in a Sentence
The recent wildfires were made worse by the strong winds.
Recent Examples on the Web
Other must-reads California wildfires are burning deeper into urban areas like Altadena and finding new victims.
—
Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2025
The funding patch could include some add-ons, including wildfire aid for California, but would otherwise keep spending flat for the remainder of the fiscal year.
—David Sivak, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Feb. 2025
Northwestern’s women’s basketball team will be issued two forfeits, which will count as losses, for scheduled games against UCLA and USC that were initially postponed in January due to the deadly wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area.
—Alex Andrejev, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Cutbacks at the Forest Service also come as wildfires nationwide grow fiercer and more frequent.
—Ian Lee, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wildfire
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Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2025
The funding patch could include some add-ons, including wildfire aid for California, but would otherwise keep spending flat for the remainder of the fiscal year.
—David Sivak, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Feb. 2025
Northwestern’s women’s basketball team will be issued two forfeits, which will count as losses, for scheduled games against UCLA and USC that were initially postponed in January due to the deadly wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area.
—Alex Andrejev, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Cutbacks at the Forest Service also come as wildfires nationwide grow fiercer and more frequent.
—Ian Lee, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wildfire
Cite this Entry
“Wildfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wildfire. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wildfire
noun
wild·fire
ˈwī(ə)l(d)-ˌfī(ə)r
: an uncontrollable fire that destroys a wide area
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