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
My bud blew the wedding off, creating a firestorm within his family tree.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
Those same polls show Bass has struggled in the aftermath of the 2025 firestorms, a big issue for Pratt.
—Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
When a corporate crisis erupts—a product failure, a cultural firestorm, a regulatory ambush—the phone calls start immediately.
—Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Bondi was central to the Epstein saga Bondi has been central to the political firestorm over Epstein, initially raising expectations for the full release of what’s known as the Epstein files, only to later backtrack.
—Stephen Groves, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for firestorm
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Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
Those same polls show Bass has struggled in the aftermath of the 2025 firestorms, a big issue for Pratt.
—Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
When a corporate crisis erupts—a product failure, a cultural firestorm, a regulatory ambush—the phone calls start immediately.
—Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Bondi was central to the Epstein saga Bondi has been central to the political firestorm over Epstein, initially raising expectations for the full release of what’s known as the Epstein files, only to later backtrack.
—Stephen Groves, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 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 5 Jun. 2026.
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