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
Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026
Do voters want another headline-grabbing firebrand in Greene’s mold?
—Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Like Greta Thunberg—another firebrand who refused to neuter her activism after being fêted by the liberal establishment—Smalls joined the 2025 Gaza Freedom Flotilla, attempting to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza strip.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Which firebrand Hollywood executive made this brash prediction?
—Alex Sherman, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for firebrand
Cite this Entry
“Firebrand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firebrand. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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firebrand
noun
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