open fire
idiom
: to begin shooting
A man opened fire in a crowded mall.
—often + onThe soldiers opened fire on enemy troops.
Examples of open fire in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Witness Clarisa Alayeto saw the situation play out and called the police after seeing a group of men, fitted in ski masks, rush the parole office and open fire on Martinez.
—
Michael Saponara, Billboard, 17 Oct. 2025
Her college roommate had made a pie, and cops were now allowed to open fire on peaceful protesters if the peace seemed tenuous in any way.
—Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Aurora police fatally shot a teenage boy Thursday night who officers say threatened to open fire inside a gas station.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
Headed by chef Rob Roy Cameron, the food is inspired by the open fire cooking of northern Spain, made with local ingredients.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for open fire
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Michael Saponara, Billboard, 17 Oct. 2025
Her college roommate had made a pie, and cops were now allowed to open fire on peaceful protesters if the peace seemed tenuous in any way.
—Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Aurora police fatally shot a teenage boy Thursday night who officers say threatened to open fire inside a gas station.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
Headed by chef Rob Roy Cameron, the food is inspired by the open fire cooking of northern Spain, made with local ingredients.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for open fire
Cite this Entry
“Open fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20fire. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share