brushfire

1 of 2

adjective

brush·​fire ˈbrəsh-ˌfī(-ə)r How to pronounce brushfire (audio)
: involving mobilization only on a small and local scale
brushfire border wars

brush fire

2 of 2

noun

1
: a fire involving low-growing plants (such as scrub and brush)
2
: a minor conflict or crisis
putting out political brush fires

Examples of brushfire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Fire Department rushed to halt the spread of a 4-acre brush fire in the Sepulveda Basin that left one person with minor burns and caused temporary disruptions to Metro bus service. Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025 The fire destroyed a home, displacing the family, and led to a brush fire that extended about 1.7 acres, officials said. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2025 Traffic was flowing in and out of the Florida Keys on Wednesday after a brush fire led officials to briefly close U.S. 1, snarling traffic for hours for those trying to enter or leave the island chain. Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 20 Mar. 2025 Alabama saw several brush fires ignite over the weekend as well. Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for brushfire

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1954, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brushfire was in 1850

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Cite this Entry

“Brushfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brushfire. Accessed 8 Jun. 2025.

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