firestorm
noun
fire·storm
ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌstȯrm 
1
: a very intense and destructive fire usually accompanied by high winds
The Rooses' house and gardens were obliterated in the 1991 Oakland firestorm.—
Craig Summers Black
Craig Summers Black
especially
: one that is started by attack with nuclear or incendiary weapons and that creates a powerful updraft which causes very strong inrushing winds to develop in the surrounding area
His goal was to create firestorms like the ones that had consumed Hamburg and Dresden, conflagrations so vast and intense that nothing could survive them … —David M. Kennedy
David M. Kennedy 2
a
: a sudden or violent outburst
a firestorm of public protest
b
: a raging controversy
a political firestorm
Examples of firestorm in a Sentence
The bombing left the city engulfed in a firestorm.
His proposal set off a political firestorm.
a firestorm of public protest
Recent Examples on the Web
Brad Karp, then-chairman of prestigious corporate law firm Paul Weiss, abruptly resigned from his post earlier this month amid a firestorm over his email exchanges with Epstein.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
Residents near the burn scars from last year’s firestorm will remain under an evacuation warning through Tuesday.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Wasserman’s appearance in the Epstein files document dump, despite the consensual nature of his exchanges with Maxwell, has set off a firestorm among some of the clients represented by Wasserman’s sports, marketing and entertainment units.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Feb. 2026
The video sparked a firestorm when it was posted late last year and a war of words between Kelly and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for firestorm
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Matt Egan, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
Residents near the burn scars from last year’s firestorm will remain under an evacuation warning through Tuesday.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Wasserman’s appearance in the Epstein files document dump, despite the consensual nature of his exchanges with Maxwell, has set off a firestorm among some of the clients represented by Wasserman’s sports, marketing and entertainment units.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Feb. 2026
The video sparked a firestorm when it was posted late last year and a war of words between Kelly and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for firestorm
Cite this Entry
“Firestorm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firestorm. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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