Standard Lemma guide

backdraft

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈbækˌdɹæft/

1

noun

Meaning 1

Sudden, dangerous recombustion that occurs when there is a rapid reintroduction of oxygen to an enclosed space containing a fire.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Topics: firefighting, government

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From back + draft.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: humahdus — recombustion
  • Finnish: leimahdus — recombustion
  • Polish: powiew — recombustion
  • Polish: podmuch — recombustion