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
Five people died after three vehicles collided on state Route 67 in Poway, sparking a half-acre brush fire Friday afternoon, sheriff’s officials said. Teri Figueroa, Mercury News, 21 July 2025 Another brush fire — the Cottonwood Flat fire — was reported Thursday afternoon south of I-70 between Rulison and Parachute, prompting evacuation orders for nearby residents. Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 18 July 2025 That 1947 sale was part of the background for a story about the devastating 1961 Davenport Ranch brush fire, which still haunts some residents of that rugged country. Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 The suspect is believed to have deliberately set a brush fire on Canfield Mountain, near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on Sunday to lure in first responders arriving to put out the blaze. Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 1 July 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 29 Jul. 2025.

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