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

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

Synonyms of fireball

• pistol
• dynamo

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

While the shower typically produces only about five meteors per hour, it’s known for bright fireballs that can stand out in the night sky. — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Sadly, the light of the full moon will hide all but the brightest shooting stars around the peak, but there's always a chance that a dramatic fireball could appear to outshine even Venus in the night sky. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 July 2026

Nearly a month has passed since the New Glenn rocket exploded on its launch pad in Florida, creating a massive fireball. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026

But late last month, New Glenn exploded in a fireball during a test, badly damaging its sole launchpad in Florida. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 16 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fireball

• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• cortisol
• ethanol
• gasohol
• gossypol
• guaiacol

Kids 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