fire up

phrasal verb

fired up; firing up; fires up

1

: to start (something) by lighting a fire

We fired up the grill for the barbecue.

2

: to cause (something) to start working

I fired up my computer and got down to work.

Before we start working let's fire up the coffeemaker.

3

: to fill (someone) with energy or enthusiasm

The coach fired up the players with a pep talk.

—usually used as (be/get) fired up

We were fired up for the concert.

Examples of fire up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In meetings throughout 2025, as Janocko said, the quarterbacks have fired up the December 2019 clip of Lock rapping along — between drives of his fifth-ever NFL start — as Empower Field blasted Young Jeezy. —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026

As the owners fired up a countertop popcorn machine, a disco ball hanging from the ceiling cast hundreds of shimmering reflections across the room. —Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 31 Jan. 2026

The Cancer moon fires up your imagination in surprisingly new ways. —Usa Today, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026

The front bar is perfect for leaning in over a cocktail, watching the kitchen fire up the night, while the back dining room feels quieter, designed for lingering over plates. —Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026

Rhymes for fire up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup