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
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
Fir is fire resistant and does not require any chemical treatments—which is critical to avoid impacting the taste of wine in the cellars.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
Michael Brown, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
The idea that Trump would try to fire Powell has been frequently speculated on, in part due to the president’s harsh public comments.
—Jesse Pound, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fire
Noun
If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be?
(1) Infrastructure in forms of roads and increased police and fire due to the growing population.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
Fir is fire resistant and does not require any chemical treatments—which is critical to avoid impacting the taste of wine in the cellars.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
To understand why, consider the Stinger: a surface-to-air missile with infrared capabilities to home in on targets but that is lightweight and shoulder fired.
—Michael Brown, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
The idea that Trump would try to fire Powell has been frequently speculated on, in part due to the president’s harsh public comments.
—Jesse Pound, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fire
Noun
-
The documentary captures a sheriff’s deputy reminiscing about her car slowing in the middle of an inferno as her tires melted.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
In between those stretches, Minnesota was a blazing inferno, hitting 20 of 35 attempts from beyond the arc to blitz the Lakers in Game 1.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The challenge isn't new, but the intensity is unprecedented.—
Tomás O’Leary,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
-
When the emotions get into it, and the intensity creeps up?—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Four other individuals hid in a storage closet throughout the ordeal.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
-
The five-hour ordeal ended after the hostage fled while retrieving water, prompting Akkad to chase him into the street, where he was hit by a police car.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Greece started its golden visa program in 2013 to stabilize housing prices and stimulate growth in a country facing a recession, skyrocketing unemployment, and austerity measures imposed by international lenders.—
Meehika Barua,
HubSpot,
18 Apr. 2025
-
The importance of daylight The infrared light found in daylight can modulate inflammation, stimulate collagen production, prevent neurodegeneration, and even optimize mitochondria, which produce energy inside our cells.—
Ana Morales,
Vogue,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The system favoured by the new Coach appears to have no space for the Brazil native, who has played just four minutes since Thiago Motta was sacked.—
Adam Digby,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
-
The vast majority are unceremoniously sacked after losing their grip.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The first pitch Sánchez threw registered at 93.7 mph, something of a red flag considering his sinker has sat at 96 mph all season.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Iredale quickly fielded the ball and threw to second base.—
Matt Jones,
Arkansas Online,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The pair, who met as college undergrads, both burned with idealism and recognized their privilege could be leveraged for a game-changing idea.—
Carole Horst,
Variety,
13 Sep. 2023
-
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation promotes circular fashion and says that, in the United States, an amount of clothing equal to a garbage truck is ferried to landfills or burned every second.—
Neeti Mehra,
Treehugger,
13 Sep. 2023
Noun
-
The enthusiasm has spawned an industry that turns offal—a catchall term for an animal’s nonmuscular parts—into pill or powdered form.—
Valerie Trapp,
The Atlantic,
17 Apr. 2025
-
With 10 other governors in the room, the bipartisan enthusiasm was clear: States are committed to expanding opportunities that give students real-world learning experiences and clear pathways to economic mobility.—
Sara Schapiro,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fire. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share