fire 1 of 2

1
as in inferno
a destructive burning a number of suspicious fires in the neighborhood recently

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fire

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to shoot
to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force police officers firing rubber bullets

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2
as in to blast
to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force soldiers fired at the enemy in panic-stricken disorder

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fire
Noun
The person recording the footage said the vessel had just been hit twice and was on fire about 14 miles from port in Malta. Sam Mednick and Renata Brito, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025 As a first-time candidate, Trump lit the GOP field on fire with his heterodox presidential campaign, while Rubio at one point represented the last, best hope for the establishment Republican Party. Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 2 May 2025
Verb
Myrtle Beach—a popular, coastal South Carolina city for snowbirds and locals alike—is firing back against a study ranking it the No. 2 most unsafe beach in the United States. Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025 While the mice were running along the track, brain cells that control spatial encoding were firing. Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for fire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fire
Noun
  • The documentary captures a sheriff’s deputy reminiscing about her car slowing in the middle of an inferno as her tires melted.
    Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025
  • In between those stretches, Minnesota was a blazing inferno, hitting 20 of 35 attempts from beyond the arc to blitz the Lakers in Game 1.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 20 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The challenge isn't new, but the intensity is unprecedented.
    Tomás O’Leary, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • When the emotions get into it, and the intensity creeps up?
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Four other individuals hid in a storage closet throughout the ordeal.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The five-hour ordeal ended after the hostage fled while retrieving water, prompting Akkad to chase him into the street, where he was hit by a police car.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Laser resurfacing uses the same technology to remove the top layer of skin and stimulate collagen production.
    Carrie Madormo, RN, MPH, Verywell Health, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Monthly Job Swaps: Nothing stimulates understanding and empathy more than walking in someone else's shoes.
    Kelly Leonard, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The system favoured by the new Coach appears to have no space for the Brazil native, who has played just four minutes since Thiago Motta was sacked.
    Adam Digby, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • The vast majority are unceremoniously sacked after losing their grip.
    Phil Hay, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The collection includes more than 200 items, including a wide range of bedding, bath towels and accessories, pillows, and throw blankets.
    Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The cherry blossom motif wallpaper, floral curtains, and throw blanket are all from Pierre Frey, while the four-poster bed is made by Porte Italia.
    Laura May Todd, Architectural Digest, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The pair, who met as college undergrads, both burned with idealism and recognized their privilege could be leveraged for a game-changing idea.
    Carole Horst, Variety, 13 Sep. 2023
  • The Ellen MacArthur Foundation promotes circular fashion and says that, in the United States, an amount of clothing equal to a garbage truck is ferried to landfills or burned every second.
    Neeti Mehra, Treehugger, 13 Sep. 2023
Noun
  • After so much enthusiasm and excitement following his winter move from Mercedes, reality is setting in for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari.
    Luke Smith, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Walz has attempted to generate enthusiasm and make use of Americans’ frustration with the Trump administration’s actions so far by hosting town hall discussions across the country.
    Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 29 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fire. Accessed 7 May. 2025.

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