fiery

adjective

fi·​ery ˈfī(-ə)-rē How to pronounce fiery (audio)
fierier; fieriest
1
a
: consisting of fire
fiery tongues playing about the roof of the burning building
b
: marked by fire
a fiery crash
c
: using or carried out with fire
the fiery experiments of the ancient alchemists
d
: liable to catch fire or explode : flammable
a fiery vapor
2
a
: hot like a fire
the fiery taste of red pepper
b(1)
: being in an inflamed state or condition
a fiery boil
(2)
: feverish and flushed
a fiery forehead
3
: of the color of fire : red
a fiery sunset
4
a
: full of or exuding emotion or spirit
a fiery sermon
b
: easily provoked : irritable
a fiery temper
fierily adverb
fieriness noun
fiery adverb

Examples of fiery in a Sentence

He was killed in a fiery crash. the fiery Yule log made a splendid backdrop for our holiday party
Recent Examples on the Web The fiery crash led to lanes of westbound Interstate 44, near Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, to be temporarily shut down at about 11:30 a.m. David K. Li, NBC News, 20 Sep. 2023 Residents sue Arlington County over ‘missing middle’ zoning change For more than a year, missing middle prompted a fiery debate in Arlington that largely pitted single-family homeowners like the plaintiffs against a coalition of renters, racial-justice advocates and urbanist groups. Teo Armus, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2023 After a fiery speech, Mishima—obsessed with physical beauty and warlike vigor—killed himself with a sword. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023 Enter Email Sign Up Even the very act of impeachment in Texas could get a second look after Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presided over the trial, called for new guardrails in a fiery speech questioning how the case made it this far. Paul J. Weber and Juan A. Lozano, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Sep. 2023 Even the very act of impeachment in Texas could get a second look after Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presided over the trial, called for new guardrails in a fiery speech questioning how the case made it this far. Paul J. Weber and Juan A. Lozano, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Sep. 2023 Beharie, both effectively fiery and too frequently forgotten; supporting MVP Pittman, weathering a ludicrous love story opposite Clive Standen; and especially Lee, often adding grace notes of comedy that the series desperately needs, are all exceptional and benefit from this extra level of focus. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Sep. 2023 Fain is a fiery leader who won the UAW presidency by convincing members that the union had been too complacent and cozy with industry for too long. Lauren Kaori Gurley, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2023 With all of that comes the burden of tolerance, the fiery fight for fairness and – sometimes – a longing for more. Liza Lentini, Spin, 14 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fiery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from fire, fier fire

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fiery was in the 13th century

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Dictionary Entries Near fiery

Cite this Entry

“Fiery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiery. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

fiery

adjective
fi·​ery ˈfī-(ə-)rē How to pronounce fiery (audio)
fierier; fieriest
1
: being on fire : blazing
2
: hot or glowing like a fire
3
a
: full of spirit
a fiery speech
b
: easily set off
a fiery temper
fieriness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fiery

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