firefight

noun

fire·​fight ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌfīt How to pronounce firefight (audio)
Synonyms of firefightnext
1
a
: a usually brief intense exchange of fire between opposing military units
b
: a hostile confrontation that involves gunfire
2

Examples of firefight in a Sentence

a firefight between police and bank robbers
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Bass accused Crowley of leadership failures during the January 2025 windstorm that led to the deadly Palisades Fire, and also accused of refusing to prepare an after-action report on the firefight. City News Service, Daily News, 7 May 2026 Some of the officers’ shots might be justified given that there was a firefight between the people inside the house and police, attorney Jeff Avery said. John Wayne Ferguson, Houston Chronicle, 4 May 2026 On Saturday night, just outside the actual White House Correspondent Association’s gala, Cole Allen breached a security checkpoint and had a brief firefight with Secret Service agents. Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026 After a firefight that lasted about 2 hours, firefighters contained the Ponds Fire on the western edge of Fort Collins on Thursday night. Jesse Sarles, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for firefight

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of firefight was in 1899

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Cite this Entry

“Firefight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firefight. Accessed 11 May. 2026.

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