firefight

fire·fight | \ ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌfīt

How to pronounce firefight (audio)

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Definition of firefight

1a : a usually brief intense exchange of fire between opposing military units

b : a hostile confrontation that involves gunfire

2 : skirmish sense 2b

Examples of firefight in a Sentence

a firefight between police and bank robbers

Recent Examples on the Web Dramatic police body camera footage released Friday shows officers outside a Louisville Kroger grocery store engaged in a shootout with a suspect who was killed in the firefight. — Dennis Romero, NBC News, "Dramatic video shows police shootout outside Kroger grocery store," 8 Nov. 2019 The six were killed in a firefight when police raided their hideout in the Cairo suburb of Sixth of October, the ministry said in a brief statement. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Egypt says 6 Muslim Brotherhood killed in Cairo shootout," 24 Sep. 2019 The drone opens up new possibilities during firefights with its assault, support and passive abilities. — Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, "Review: ‘Gears of War 5’ uses past to set path for its future," 6 Sep. 2019 Ron Helus was hit five times by the gunman during a firefight, but was ultimately killed by a round fired by a California Highway Patrol officer, officials said. — NBC News, "Mass shooting in El Paso is deadliest in 2019, among worst in modern U.S. history," 4 Aug. 2019 Investigators described the weapon that Luther used in the firefight as a rifle. — Los Angeles Times, "Riverside shootout between cop doing his ‘dream job’ and troubled felon ends in heartbreak," 14 Aug. 2019 Within seconds, the motor vehicle stop erupted into a firefight, as Moye radioed for backup. — Los Angeles Times, "Riverside shootout between cop doing his ‘dream job’ and troubled felon ends in heartbreak," 14 Aug. 2019 Despite the heavy black smoke that covered the area, crowds gathered Wednesday to watch the firefight unfold. — Jennifer Johnson, chicagotribune.com, "Two firefighters burned while battling blaze inside vacant Park Ridge gas station ‘loaded’ with hazardous material," 17 July 2019 The parents of a Hartford man fatally shot by police in Windham earlier this year are demanding more transparency from the ongoing investigation into whether officers acted appropriately during the police chase and firefight that killed their son. — Zach Murdock, courant.com, "NAACP, parents of man killed by cops in Windham demand more police transparency," 17 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'firefight.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

19 Nov 2019

Time Traveler for firefight

The first known use of firefight was in 1899

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