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
Pitmasters may squabble over sauces, smoke, and wood types, but the tradition of cooking meat over an open fire goes far beyond just technique.
—
Gabi De La Rosa, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2025
Celebrating the best Argentinian ingredients and the traditional ritual of slow-cooking meats over an open fire, Fogón Asado offers multi-course tasting menus at a bar surrounding the grill.
—Madeline Weinfield, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 2025
Both cases are apt to serve as models for how to prevent the kind of school shootings still plaguing the nation and could set legal precedent for who shoulders the blame when children have access to guns and open fire on campus.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Earlier this year, Feng told the Statesman that along with sushi, Raibu would serve steaks and seafood cooked over an open fire on a Japanese charcoal grill.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 7 Nov. 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.
Gabi De La Rosa, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2025
Celebrating the best Argentinian ingredients and the traditional ritual of slow-cooking meats over an open fire, Fogón Asado offers multi-course tasting menus at a bar surrounding the grill.
—Madeline Weinfield, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 2025
Both cases are apt to serve as models for how to prevent the kind of school shootings still plaguing the nation and could set legal precedent for who shoulders the blame when children have access to guns and open fire on campus.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Earlier this year, Feng told the Statesman that along with sushi, Raibu would serve steaks and seafood cooked over an open fire on a Japanese charcoal grill.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 7 Nov. 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 8 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share