conflagration

USAGE SUMMARY

"conflagration" is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is a noun that describes a large, destructive fire. Example sentence: The forest fire was a devastating conflagration that destroyed several acres of land.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Many media commentators, some London-based, some local, who spend little time on the ground in places like the Lower Newtownards Road or Short Strand, bought into the line that this latest conflagration was the result of spontaneous working class loyalist anger.

The Guardian

The embers of revolt have been smouldering beneath the foundations for several years now and the independence campaign gave them the oxygen to become a full conflagration.

The Guardian - Opinion

Few analysts are predicting a rapid return to $100 – barring a conflagration in the Middle East – but plunging inflation has delayed monetary policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic from getting started on "normalising" interest rates – that is, raising them.

The Guardian - Business

The opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman, Tanya Plibersek, has thus far stressed the importance of a focus on humanitarian relief, reserved Labor's ultimate position on military intervention, and pointed out that the last conflagration, 2003, didn't quite work out the way the US and its fellow travellers intended.

The Guardian

The black ticker tape was the perfect conclusion to a triumphant set which showed that Li's slow-burning pop-noir has now ignited into a full conflagration.

The Guardian - Music

By articulating their fears, Powell's notorious speech may have given them a mainstream voice, thereby averting a greater conflagration.

The Guardian

Though bonds are hardly a perfect hedge against such risks, they typically beat stocks (except, perhaps, in cases of global conflagration, when both fare badly).

The Guardian - Business

Before last February, the most deadly conflagration in the country's history occurred on Friday 13 January 1939, when 71 people died and nearly 5m acres of Victoria burnt.

The Guardian

And besides the ever-present threat of a terrible conflagration on the Korean peninsular itself, North Korea's development of long-range missiles, and its sales of the technology to American bugbears such as Iran and Syria, have made it a serious global concern to strategists in Washington.But both America and South Korea have cause to worry about the other's policy.

The Economist

Fed by ideology, opportunity and the ready availability of frustrated young men holding their lives cheap the conflagration shows no signs of abating or lessening in its depravity.

The Economist

Mr Obama's policy of waiting for the conflagration in Syria to burn itself out is failing.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "conflagration" when you want to convey a sense of a large, destructive fire or a similarly devastating conflict. It's suitable for formal writing and adds emphasis to the scale of the event.

Common error

Avoid using "conflagration" in casual conversation or informal writing. It can sound overly dramatic or pretentious in contexts that don't warrant such elevated language.

Linguistic Context

The noun "conflagration" functions as a descriptor of a significantly large and destructive fire or a large-scale conflict. Ludwig AI examples show usage in the context of both literal fires and metaphorical conflicts, highlighting its role in emphasizing scale and devastation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "conflagration" denotes a large, destructive fire or a similarly devastating conflict. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's grammatically correct and most commonly found in News & Media. Usage tips include leveraging it in formal writing to emphasize the scale of an event, while avoiding overuse in informal settings. Related phrases include "large fire" and "large-scale conflict". It serves to communicate a sense of crisis, and can be generally considered neutral to formal. Top authoritative sources include The Economist and The Guardian.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

raging inferno

Emphasizes the uncontrolled and intensely destructive aspect of a fire.

large-scale conflict

Shifts the focus from literal fire to metaphorical conflicts, mirroring the broader usage of "conflagration".

major blaze

Similar to 'large fire' but with a slightly more intense connotation.

large-scale war

Directly refers to a war of considerable size and impact.

large fire

Focuses on the literal sense of a major fire event, lacking the figurative extension to conflicts.

major armed conflict

Emphasizes that the conflict is armed and significant in scale.

extensive fire

Highlights the widespread nature of the fire, downplaying intensity.

widespread fire

Like 'extensive fire', emphasizes the scope of the fire's reach.

outbreak of war

Highlights the sudden start of a war, rather than its overall scale or intensity.

large-scale disaster

Broadens the scope to any significant disaster, not just fire or conflict, diluting the original meaning.

FAQs

How to use "conflagration" in a sentence?

You can use "conflagration" to describe a large, destructive fire, as in "The wildfire quickly turned into a devastating "conflagration"". It can also describe a large-scale conflict, such as "The political tensions erupted into a regional "conflagration"".

What can I say instead of "conflagration"?

You can use alternatives like "large fire", "inferno", or "large-scale conflict" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "fire" or "conflagration"?

"Fire" is a general term for combustion or burning. "Conflagration" refers specifically to a very large and destructive fire. Use ""conflagration"" when you want to emphasize the scale and devastation of the fire.

What's the difference between "conflict" and "conflagration"?

"Conflict" is a general term for a disagreement or struggle. "Conflagration", when used metaphorically, implies a large-scale, destructive conflict, often involving widespread violence or upheaval. A ""conflagration"" suggests a conflict that is out of control and causing significant damage.