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
That was seen as a fireball blazing across the sky in broad daylight by dozens of witnesses.
—CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Boise Fire Department Assistant Chief Romeo Gervais, who spoke at the meeting, said the show was 19 minutes long and had numerous effects, starting with eight liquid fireballs, which caused the large blast.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
Southern hemisphere stargazers may be able to spot fireballs from a minor shower early in the month.
—Michael D'estries, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026
At 20 MeV particle energies—far cooler (and lower) than the initial 100 MeV fireball—these fragile nuclei finally have a chance to bind stably.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fireball
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.
CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Boise Fire Department Assistant Chief Romeo Gervais, who spoke at the meeting, said the show was 19 minutes long and had numerous effects, starting with eight liquid fireballs, which caused the large blast.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
Southern hemisphere stargazers may be able to spot fireballs from a minor shower early in the month.
—Michael D'estries, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026
At 20 MeV particle energies—far cooler (and lower) than the initial 100 MeV fireball—these fragile nuclei finally have a chance to bind stably.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 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 13 Feb. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
