firestorm
noun
fire·storm
ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌstȯrm 
1
: a very intense and destructive fire usually accompanied by high winds
The Rooses' house and gardens were obliterated in the 1991 Oakland firestorm.—
Craig Summers Black
Craig Summers Black
especially
: one that is started by attack with nuclear or incendiary weapons and that creates a powerful updraft which causes very strong inrushing winds to develop in the surrounding area
His goal was to create firestorms like the ones that had consumed Hamburg and Dresden, conflagrations so vast and intense that nothing could survive them … —David M. Kennedy
David M. Kennedy 2
a
: a sudden or violent outburst
a firestorm of public protest
b
: a raging controversy
a political firestorm
Examples of firestorm in a Sentence
The bombing left the city engulfed in a firestorm.
His proposal set off a political firestorm.
a firestorm of public protest
Recent Examples on the Web
Anthon has been in the center of a firestorm online, with immigration hardliners criticizing his PAC’s spending and how immigration bills have failed in the Senate.
—Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2026
Jenna Russell, a doctoral candidate in computer science at the University of Maryland, has been following various social-media firestorms.
—Vauhini Vara, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
In the wake of the January firestorm, the idea of prefire alerts during dangerous conditions is getting more attention as officials grapple with how to better prepare communities, especially when fire weather conditions are being forecast with increasingly precise timing and location.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Fans of the show caused a firestorm online, calling for the TV network to stop the season from airing.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for firestorm
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Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2026
Jenna Russell, a doctoral candidate in computer science at the University of Maryland, has been following various social-media firestorms.
—Vauhini Vara, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
In the wake of the January firestorm, the idea of prefire alerts during dangerous conditions is getting more attention as officials grapple with how to better prepare communities, especially when fire weather conditions are being forecast with increasingly precise timing and location.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Fans of the show caused a firestorm online, calling for the TV network to stop the season from airing.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for firestorm
Cite this Entry
“Firestorm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firestorm. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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