fire 1 of 2

Definition of firenext
1
as in inferno
a destructive burning a number of suspicious fires in the neighborhood recently

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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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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
Michael’s deal with Pepsi is part of that, and the film’s portrayal of the horrifying accident that befell him during the filming of a Pepsi commercial — a spark set his hair, and scalp, on fire — makes the trauma feel like an outgrowth of Joe’s karma. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026 As the case heads before the state's highest court, residents are asking whether people exposed during the fire can receive medical monitoring designed to catch potential health problems early. Jamal Goss, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
About 1,000 animal welfare activists attempted to enter a beagle research facility in Wisconsin on Saturday, prompting law enforcement to fire rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrest multiple people, including the group’s leader. Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026 Arriving officers began canvassing the area, looking for any signs that shots had been fired. Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fire
Noun
  • Video of firefighters fighting the inferno shows massive flames shooting out of the top windows onto the roof’s parapet.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
  • The Sheriff’s Office had recused itself from the investigation days after the inferno.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Once again, the Nuggets failed to match the Timberwolves’ intensity.
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
  • What’s flipped from the first six quarters of the series to the last six is McDaniels’ defensive intensity.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Arrested during a heat wave The ordeal James went through occurred amid a 100-plus-degree heat wave.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2026
  • What should have been a 30-minute, easy-breezy appointment turned into a two-hour ordeal.
    Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • As Brunson dominated the ball, Towns — who shot six-of-seven from the field in the third quarter alone — took just two shots in the fourth quarter.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Jasso, who acted alone, shot and killed himself.
    Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Yet where its predecessor often had a reflective tone, their latest is about high-energy garage-rock catharsis, getting in a room and blasting away and letting the noise be your guide.
    Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
  • The New York Ryder Cup crowd was blasted by the media and golfers, which had been a concern even before the event.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Stock buybacks are a tool used by companies to reduce the amount of shares outstanding, which can stimulate prices, and also to signal confidence in the company’s strategic direction.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
  • In Asia, reflexology trails made of stones, pebbles and grass are intended to stimulate acupressure points on the soles of the feet, a concept linked to traditional medical therapies.
    ABC News, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Los Angeles Chargers – Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama Justin Herbert played some incredible football despite being sacked 54 times in 2025, which was one fewer than Cam Ward and Geno Smith, who tied for the league lead.
    Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Downing Street has blamed the Foreign Office for the failure, and a top civil servant has reportedly been sacked.
    Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The person throwing the bowling ball might not have intended a specific victim to be killed, or even knowingly planned to kill someone, but nonetheless did something that was obviously likely to cause serious harm.
    Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Jane tries to give it a bit of meta humor, milking laughs from throwing money at Juicy and doing little jazz hands.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fire. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.

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