fireback

1 of 2

noun

fire·​back ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌbak 

: an often decorated cast-iron plate lining the back wall of a fireplace

fire back

2 of 2

verb

fired back; firing back; fires back

intransitive verb

: to answer someone quickly and usually angrily

After his statement, his opponents fired back.

—often used with at

She fired back at her critics.

transitive verb

: to utter as a quick and angry response

He fired back a comparable insult …

—Drew T. Brown III

Examples of fireback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The head was followed by bright yellowish-orange tail feathers, easily identifiable as the fireback. — Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025

Verb

Then Unite Here fired back with a package of ballot proposals, including a plan that would have forced a citywide election on development of all new large hotels and other facilities — including some 2028 Olympic venues. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Despite Russia’s growing use of FPV drones to bring fires back into the fight, its territorial gains will likely remain limited. — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1566, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1880, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for fireback

• almanac
• camelback
• cardiac
• carryback
• cluniac
• diamondback
• lumberjack
• maniac
• paperback
• piggyback
• quarterback
• saddleback