1
as in inferno
a destructive burning
a number of suspicious fires in the neighborhood recently
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in intensity
depth of feeling
had she the fire in her heart that a run for the White House requires?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ordeal
a test of faith, patience, or strength
asked to be sent to the front lines, as he was eager to prove himself in the fire of battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
2
3
as in to stimulate
to give life, vigor, or spirit to
a school outing to the natural history museum fired his imagination, and he grew up to become an eminent paleontologist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to sack
to let go from office, service, or employment
fired the secretary for incompetence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to throw
to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm
fired a pass to the running back
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to burn
to set (something) on fire
lit some kindling before attempting to fire the logs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of fire
Radhika Seth, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2026
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026
Rihanna incident Police said that several gunshots were fired toward the singer’s Beverly Hills home on Sunday.
—Tricia Escobedo, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fire
Noun
The Voice of Hind Rajab Kaouther Ben Hania’s heart-wrenching docudrama is a marvel—a meticulous retelling of the true story of Hind Rajab, the six-year-old Palestinian girl who was trapped inside a car under fire in northern Gaza in January of 2024.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2026
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Times reports that an LAPD radio dispatch cited 10 shots as being fired, while NBC News reported four shots.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026
Rihanna incident Police said that several gunshots were fired toward the singer’s Beverly Hills home on Sunday.
—Tricia Escobedo, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fire
Noun
-
More than 270 firefighters and EMS personnel responded to combat the inferno.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Police spokesperson Frederic Papaux of Fribourg canton, or region, said the inferno broke out Tuesday evening on a bus in the town of Kerzers, about 15 miles west of Bern, the Swiss capital.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Scientists see the high-intensity burn scar as key to the future of the planet’s largest tree.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Mirae’s cocktails are the center of bar manager Orestes Cruz’s beverage program, with a nice range of flavor profiles and intensity levels.—
Henri Hollis,
AJC.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Dean Puckett, United Kingdom, 2025 A single mother and her child are put through a nightmarish ordeal when a politician knocks on their door.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 Mar. 2026
-
What should have been a routine trip to the polls on election night turned into a frustrating ordeal for Dallas County voter Kerra Scott.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The family of Lisa Lopez-Galvan, who was shot and killed in the mass shooting that erupted at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl rally in February 2024, left the Jackson County courthouse in tears on Monday afternoon.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Adebayo was scorching hot from the start, totaling 31 points in Tuesday’s first quarter on 10-of-16 shooting from the field, 5-of-8 shooting from three-point range and 6-of-7 shooting from the foul line.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Four minutes later, Sam Surridge blasted a clear chance on net at the top of the box.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
-
To make up for his relative lack of name recognition outside the Loop, Reilly has turned to prodigious fundraising to pay for a slew of TV ads introducing himself and blasting Preckwinkle.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Olson eventually found a substance that did not seem to be hallucinogenic but potently stimulated growth in the cortical neurons of rodents.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Naboso was developed by a podiatrist and uses texture on all products to stimulate the feet, improving overall foot awareness, foot strength and aiding in recovery.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Smith was sacked 55 times behind a shaky offensive line and threw 17 interceptions -- both league highs last season.—
CBS New York Team,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
He was sacked 55 times, which tied Titans quarterback Cam Ward for the most in the league.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Tenacious defense and timely free-throw shooting from David and junior Cooper Ellwood sealed the title for Rock Canyon, as star big Kai Valentine tackled junior Jonah Medina after the buzzer and threw a few gleeful fake punches at his chest.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The Tigers made 18 of 22 free-throws attempts while the Crimson hit 8 of 11.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fire. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
