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
After the Victoria’s Secret fashion show came under fire in 2018, reports emerged of a close friendship between the company’s owner, Les Wexner, and Jeffrey Epstein. — Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 From wars – a Civil War, even – to presidential assassinations, fires, hurricanes, floods and what seems to be an unrelenting torrent of gun violence, our nation has seen its share of horror. — Mike Kelly, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
Daryl Dike passed the ball in toward Justin Ellis, who immediately poked it through for Griezmann to fire past goalkeeper Carlos Dos Santos for the 1-0 lead. — Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026 The occupants of two cars reportedly fired guns at each other Friday night on Route 59 near Aurora Avenue, according to Naperville police. — Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 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
  • An arson suspect’s rallying cry sparks furor A 30-year-old forklift driver is accused of livestreaming the massive Kimberly-Clark warehouse blaze in Ontario, turning a $500-million toilet paper inferno into a viral protest over wages and capitalism.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Hiding underneath a desk in a classroom was an 8-foot python, which fire officials say started the inferno.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of inferno
Noun
  • From increasing the intensity of wildfire seasons to worsening natural disasters, climate change is far from a distant future.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • But as the leaves begin to change color, so does the intensity that comes with September baseball.
    — Jesús Cano, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of intensity
Noun
  • The world eventually recovers from the ordeal, but consequences of the virus linger for decades.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The ordeal forces Sally to admit the existence of their magical powers.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of ordeal
Verb
  • Giffords was shot during an assassination attempt in 2011 but has stayed active in politics since leaving Congress.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • There was just the goalkeeper from the first team who would come and shoot some balls at me.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of shoot
Verb
  • Alcaraz, hovering north and south, blasting the ball into the corners.
    — James Hansen, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Plus, the 8-inch woofer blasts out thumping bass to get your blood pumping.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of blast
Verb
  • Opposition leaders say Meloni’s government has yet to find concrete ways to stimulate long-term economic growth beyond just controlling public debt and state deficits.
    — Silvia Stellacci, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Once inside the brain, the nanoparticles would be controlled—to stimulate neurons in specific areas of the brain or to read neuron activity—through a specialized cap or headset containing magnetic coils.
    — Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of stimulate
Verb
  • Since 2020, Joe Burrow has been sacked a league-worst 10 percent of the time in openers and has lost four times, a league-high.
    — Vic Tafur, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The Ducks sacked Madsen three times for 15 yards, but their defensive front didn’t show too much attacking intent.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of sack
Verb
  • Idzik and fellow walk-on Jordan Garside would reserve a lecture hall in the business school, write their mocks on the whiteboard and throw a two-person draft party.
    — Joseph Person, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The gallery watched with rapt attention as Reddington gestured wildly, slammed his hand down and threw a stack of papers onto the bench.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 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 13 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fire

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fire

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