inferno

noun

in-ˈfər-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce inferno (audio)
Definition of infernonext
as in fire
a destructive burning the intense heat of the raging inferno repeatedly drove back the firefighters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of inferno The story detailed the first critical hours of the Palisades fire, when thousands of residents had to decide whether and how to flee the inferno. — Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 The complaints also allege that sparking or downed power lines exacerbated the inferno. — Tony Saavedra, Daily News, 10 June 2026 But Grand Junction’s cloudless blue sky gave no hint of the inferno that continued to ravage the Colorado-Utah border less than an hour away. — Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 29 June 2026 Crucial events morphed into massive set pieces, like Louis hunting down Claudia’s killers by setting their theater on fire, exploding the motorcycles of the vampires who fled the inferno, and eventually bursting out of a manhole to behead Claudia’s main tormenter. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for inferno
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inferno
fire
Noun
  • An evacuation warning was issued for the area of Paradise Ranch, between Templin Highway and the Pyramid Lake area, according to Los Angeles County fire officials.
    — Andrea Klick, Daily News, 7 July 2026
  • In Los Angeles County, the fire department said a man was critically injured after a fire burned at least two cars in a parking lot in the Wilmington neighborhood on July 3.
    — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Definition of fire

Browse Nearby Words

infernal
inferno
infernos
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inferno.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferno. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on inferno

Nglish: Translation of inferno for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All