deflagrate

American  

[def-luh-greyt] / ˈdɛf ləˌgreɪt /

verb (used with or without object)

deflagrated, deflagrating

1. to burn, especially suddenly and violently.

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deflagrate British  

/ ˈdɛfləˌɡreɪt, ˈdiː- /

verb

1. to burn or cause to burn with great heat and light

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• deflagrable
  adjective
• deflagration
  noun
• deflagrability
  noun

Etymology

Origin of deflagrate

1720–30; < Latin dēflagrātus (past participle of dēflagrāre to burn down), equivalent to dē- de- + flagr ( āre ) to burn + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

"We set out yesterday to deflagrate that item in order to limit the blast affects and we achieved that successfully."

From BBC • May 1, 2026

"We're going to try our hardest to deflagrate that item and burn it inside of a structure that will limit the damage to the local surroundings," he said.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

In making this test the student must remember that sulphur and, in fact, all oxidisable bodies similarly deflagrate, but it is only in the case of carbon compounds that carbonate of potash is formed.

From A Text-book of Assaying: For the Use of Those Connected with Mines. by Beringer, Cornelius

The current induced in the secondary wire of a coil by the discharge of the condenser through the primary, was also sufficiently intense to deflagrate wires of considerable length and thickness.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 275, April 9, 1881 by Various

The salts containing nitric acid deflagrate when heated on charcoal.

From A System of Instruction in the Practical Use of the Blowpipe Being A Graduated Course Of Analysis For The Use Of Students And All Those Engaged In The Examination Of Metallic Combinations by Anonymous