fireball
noun
fire·ball
ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌbȯl 
1
: a ball of fire
also
: something resembling such a ball
… the primordial fireball associated with the beginning of the universe. —
Scientific American
Scientific American 2
: a brilliant meteor that may trail bright sparks
3
: the highly luminous cloud of vapor and dust created by a nuclear explosion
4
: a highly energetic person
Examples of fireball in a Sentence
The house erupted into a fireball.
what this club needs is a fireball who will bring some sorely needed energy and enthusiasm
Recent Examples on the Web
Interestingly, in March 2026 there was a significant uptick in sporadic meteors, with reports of large, bright fireballs doubling in number compared with previous years.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 12 June 2026
The 48 Amazon Leo satellites that were awaiting launch on New Glenn were spared from the fireball.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026
Blue Origin has yet to complete an investigation into the incident, but whatever the cause, New Glenn exploded on the launchpad in an enormous fireball visible for more than a hundred miles, destroying the launch vehicle and spreading damage across LC-36 and the surrounding vegetation.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 3 June 2026
Ground teams were performing an important test known as a hot fire in preparation for what would have been New Glenn's fourth flight when the rocket exploded in a violent fireball widely seen around Florida.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fireball
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Phil Plait, Scientific American, 12 June 2026
The 48 Amazon Leo satellites that were awaiting launch on New Glenn were spared from the fireball.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026
Blue Origin has yet to complete an investigation into the incident, but whatever the cause, New Glenn exploded on the launchpad in an enormous fireball visible for more than a hundred miles, destroying the launch vehicle and spreading damage across LC-36 and the surrounding vegetation.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 3 June 2026
Ground teams were performing an important test known as a hot fire in preparation for what would have been New Glenn's fourth flight when the rocket exploded in a violent fireball widely seen around Florida.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fireball
Cite this Entry
“Fireball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fireball. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fireball
noun
fire·ball
-ˌbȯl
1
: a ball of fire
2
: a very bright meteor
3
: the glowing cloud of vapor and dust created by a nuclear explosion
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