firebreak

noun

fire·​break ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌbrāk How to pronounce firebreak (audio)
: a barrier of cleared or plowed land intended to check a forest or grass fire

Examples of firebreak in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web These habitats differed in their vulnerability to wildfires, producing a vast mosaic of natural firebreaks, which experts say affected the regularity, speed and strength of wildfires. Curtis Abraham, Scientific American, 9 Sep. 2023 Firefighters now use their bulldozers, meant to forge firebreaks, to churn up dirt instead, getting three or five or seven feet below the surface to expose the underground fire and fight it there. David Wallace-Wells, New York Times, 24 Oct. 2023 Firefighting forces were stretched thin but fighting nevertheless — with direct attack, water bombers, fire trucks, helicopters, back burns, firebreaks, fire retardant, strategically schemed sprinkler systems for triage and old-fashioned bucket-brigade-style home-to-home structural defense. David Wallace-Wells, New York Times, 24 Oct. 2023 But measures to prepare for fire season, like digging firebreaks and clearing out dry grasses, are insufficient. Niki Kitsantonis, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2023 To prevent nearby fires from burning up their vineyards, wine producers have to tend to their crops frequently, removing dry brush and, where possible, creating firebreaks, or gaps in vegetation that act as a barrier between a potential fire and the vineyards. Sofia Andrade, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2023 For instance, animal trails have been proven to limit the spread of low-intensity wildfires by creating firebreaks. Curtis Abraham, Scientific American, 9 Sep. 2023 For 18 straight hours, Rennick and his crew fought alongside dozens of firefighters and heavy equipment operators to create firebreaks wide enough to catch flying embers. Omar Mouallem, WIRED, 23 Aug. 2023 Morritt, a journalist with the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, and her son took an evacuation flight some 950 miles west to safety in Whitehorse, Yukon, while her partner stayed behind to monitor their property, and help create firebreaks and fight fires. David Sharp and Jim Morris, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'firebreak.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of firebreak was in 1827

Dictionary Entries Near firebreak

Cite this Entry

“Firebreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firebreak. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

firebreak

noun
fire·​break -ˌbrāk How to pronounce firebreak (audio)
: a barrier of cleared or plowed land intended to stop the spread of a forest or grass fire

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