firework
noun
John UpdikePeople WeeklyTayi Sanusi
Word Icons
Did you know?
The word fireworks burst upon the scene in the 1500s as a reference to military explosives (a sense that is now obsolete). These explosives were originally used as weapons, of course, but soon they were also being used in explosive displays celebrating victory or peace. By 1575 people were oohing and aahing over "fireworks shewed upon the water; the which were both strange and wel [sic] executed." Figurative uses have been popping up ever since the 1600s. In addition to the angry explosion sense, fireworks can also refer to a spectacular display of musical, visual, or verbal brilliance, as in "an outstanding album, bursting with spectacular musical fireworks."
Examples of firework in a Sentence
Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2025
Flying like a firework: Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft will fly to space at more than three times the speed of sound.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
The band’s Bush-era angst from their seventh studio album rang true during their Coachella set, which ended in flames when a rogue firework shot into the crowd and ignited a palm tree, according to TMZ.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 13 Apr. 2025
Now, the two of them will play together on Sunday in the final pairing for what should surely be a firework show between two of the biggest stars in golf.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for firework
Cite this Entry
“Firework.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firework. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
firework
noun
Share