fire 1 of 2

noun

ˈfī(-ə)r How to pronounce fire (audio)
Definition of firenext
1
as in inferno
a destructive burning a number of suspicious fires in the neighborhood recently

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2
as in intensity
depth of feeling had she the fire in her heart that a run for the White House requires?

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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

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fire

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to shoot
to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force police officers firing rubber bullets

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2
as in to blast
to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force soldiers fired at the enemy in panic-stricken disorder

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to sack
to let go from office, service, or employment fired the secretary for incompetence

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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

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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
Noun
The death toll from a huge fire in a Bangkok music bar has increased to 30, officials said Tuesday. — ABC News, 14 July 2026 Even sparks or embers carried by the wind can ignite nearby leaves or grass, triggering a fire that spreads rapidly. — Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
Verb
Though his tail was wagging, the dog immediately bounded down the hallway toward an officer, who fired his service pistol four times, killing the dog. — Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026 Memphis police say National Guard troops fired their weapons in the early morning hours Sunday, killing a man who was armed with a handgun. — Joel Rose, NPR, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fire
  1. inferno
  2. intensity
  3. ordeal
  4. shoot
  5. blast
  6. stimulate
  7. sack
  8. throw
Noun
  • Six days later, powerful Santa Ana winds kicked up smoldering embers that sparked one of Los Angeles’ most devastating infernos.
    — Char Miller, Time, 30 June 2026
  • But Grand Junction’s cloudless blue sky gave no hint of the inferno that continued to ravage the Colorado-Utah border less than an hour away.
    — Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
Definition of inferno
Noun
  • But their defensive intensity and streaky shooting carried the day.
    — Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
  • FireSat can also measure metrics like fire perimeter, progression and intensity, according to Muon Space.
    — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 8 July 2026
Definition of intensity
Noun
  • Through their fantastical ordeals, the X-Men illustrate qualities that inspire viewers, young and old.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Incident comes after tenants’ lawsuit The ordeal comes less than a week after eight tenants with the North Lawn Tenant Union filed lawsuits against Levovitz, according to a July 2 news release from Joseph.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2026
Definition of ordeal
Verb
  • Marina Mabrey, the league’s fourth-leading scorer who scored a record 53 points earlier this season, shot 2 of 9, scoring just 11 points against Kaila Charles and the Valkyries’ defense.
    — Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
  • Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three who loved to sing and write poetry, was shot and killed by ICE in Minneapolis in January.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
Definition of shoot
Verb
  • One Ukrainian Mi-24 shows at least 50 Shahed kill markings, and there are endless videos online of door gunners blasting Shaheds out of the sky.
    — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
  • However, with temps dipping after sunset (and air conditioners constantly blasting indoors), a lightweight sweater is bound to come in handy.
    — Kelsey Stewart, Glamour, 7 July 2026
Definition of blast
Verb
  • The formula includes collagen-stimulating copper peptides and Matrixyl 3000 (a gentle retinol alternative) to quite-literally make the skin age in reverse.
    — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 4 July 2026
  • The process involved suctioning the newborn's airway and stimulating him.
    — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of stimulate
Verb
  • The Hightowers, Rhaenyra soon learns, have sacked the town of Tumbleton, a thriving city on the border of the Crownlands and the Reach.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • That came in the spring of 2025, about 11 months after his dad had been sacked as coach, when Pochettino, the new manager, gave the younger Berhalter his first national team call-up.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of sack
Verb
  • All the gold is gone, and there’s barely enough to pay her soldiers, let alone throw a lavish coronation.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • California’s court systems have also thrown their weight behind the plaintiffs in the case.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of throw

Phrases Containing fire

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fins
fire
fire and brimstone
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Cite this Entry

“Fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fire. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fire

Nglish: Translation of fire for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fire

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