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.
Examples of firebrand in a Sentence
David Brennan, ABC News, 21 May 2025
What To Know According to the survey, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tops the list as the face of the Democratic Party, with 26 percent choosing the progressive firebrand.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025
At their national convention, Democrats adopted the pro-silver position and nominated a populist firebrand for president, William Jennings Bryan.
—Adam M. Silver, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2025
Daniel Noboa, the tough-on-crime firebrand president of Ecuador, was re-elected in Sunday's runoff.
—Kyle Schmidbauer, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Firebrand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firebrand. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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firebrand
noun
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