firebrand
noun
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The original firebrands were incendiary indeed; they were pieces of wood set burning at the fire, perhaps for use as a light or a weapon. English speakers started brandishing those literal firebrands as long ago as the 13th century. (Robinson Crusoe held one high as he rushed into a cave on his deserted island and saw by the light of the firebrand . . . lying on the ground a monstrous, frightful old he-goat.) But the burning embers of the wooden firebrand quickly sparked figurative uses for the term, too. By the early 14th century, firebrand was also being used for one doomed to burn in hell, and by 1382, English writers were using it for anyone who kindled mischief or inflamed passions.
Synonyms of firebrand
Examples of firebrand in a Sentence
Daniel Rivero, Miami Herald, 30 May 2026
Here’s the liberal firebrand who wants to shake up Sacramento.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026
Faye took office in April 2024 after winning a landslide election mostly built on Sonko’s popularity as an opposition firebrand.
—Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 23 May 2026
The town’s crises — chief among them rampant homelessness and departing film and TV production — have created an opening for Pratt, who emerged as a populist firebrand after his family’s house burned down in the January 2025 Palisades Fire.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for firebrand
Cite this Entry
“Firebrand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firebrand. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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firebrand
noun
