1
as in infernos
a destructive burning
a number of suspicious fires in the neighborhood recently
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in ordeals
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
as in shoots
to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force
police officers firing rubber bullets
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
3
as in stimulates
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 sacks
to let go from office, service, or employment
fired the secretary for incompetence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in throws
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 burns
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.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of fires
Fred He, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Some of this, of course, is related to fires in California and hurricanes in the southeast that destroyed an enormous amount of utility infrastructure.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Continue reading … CLARIFIED CASE – DHS fires back after viral video sparks claims about ICE daycare raid.
—FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
The system successfully handled both open-area and shielded oil fires, including those likely to occur on aircraft carriers.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows travelers to bring laptops on flights, but they must be stored in carry-on baggage only because fires are much harder to fight in cargo storage.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
The fires claimed 102 lives, displaced over 13,000 others and burned more than 3,000 homes, destroying centuries of cultural history and devastating the economy of an entire region, with losses estimated at nearly $13 billion.
—Josh Green, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
In Camden, New Jersey, Mischief Night in 1991 meant fires all over the city, just across the Benjamin Franklin Bridge from Philadelphia.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
Oh, and if Indiana fires him without cause, Cignetti would be due 100% of his remaining salary.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 29 Oct. 2025
When Gonzalez's battalion fires the GBIs at the missile, there's a brief sense of optimism.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2025
Their range is not much greater than the drones Ukraine currently fires nightly deep into Russia.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
The driver’s side passenger then fires shots from a pistol at Bass-Moody, fatally striking her in the neck, according to police.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
When one of the Dark Hearts is about to shoot at Lizzie, Grasso fires the gun right next to her ear, which causes her world to go silent.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
Wilks points the gun at the officer and the officer fires several shots.
—Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 13 Oct. 2025
In The Simpsons’ World Cup episode, Homer is asked to referee a match after FIFA fires officials who had been bribed to call matches unfairly.
—Zoe Kaplan, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
Besides government offices, many areas had been severely damaged by disrepair, and fires – easy to occur since most buildings were wooden structures.
—Fred He, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Some of this, of course, is related to fires in California and hurricanes in the southeast that destroyed an enormous amount of utility infrastructure.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Continue reading … CLARIFIED CASE – DHS fires back after viral video sparks claims about ICE daycare raid.
—FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
The system successfully handled both open-area and shielded oil fires, including those likely to occur on aircraft carriers.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows travelers to bring laptops on flights, but they must be stored in carry-on baggage only because fires are much harder to fight in cargo storage.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
The fires claimed 102 lives, displaced over 13,000 others and burned more than 3,000 homes, destroying centuries of cultural history and devastating the economy of an entire region, with losses estimated at nearly $13 billion.
—Josh Green, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
In Camden, New Jersey, Mischief Night in 1991 meant fires all over the city, just across the Benjamin Franklin Bridge from Philadelphia.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
The cartridge fires a 40-grain bullet at approximately 1,260 feet per second.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
Oh, and if Indiana fires him without cause, Cignetti would be due 100% of his remaining salary.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 29 Oct. 2025
When Gonzalez's battalion fires the GBIs at the missile, there's a brief sense of optimism.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2025
Their range is not much greater than the drones Ukraine currently fires nightly deep into Russia.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
The driver’s side passenger then fires shots from a pistol at Bass-Moody, fatally striking her in the neck, according to police.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
When one of the Dark Hearts is about to shoot at Lizzie, Grasso fires the gun right next to her ear, which causes her world to go silent.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
Wilks points the gun at the officer and the officer fires several shots.
—Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 13 Oct. 2025
In The Simpsons’ World Cup episode, Homer is asked to referee a match after FIFA fires officials who had been bribed to call matches unfairly.
—Zoe Kaplan, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fires
Noun
-
On Instagram, and even on her reality show, Kardashian comes across as thrillingly impervious, wearing impassivity like body armor and putting her body and face through Olympian ordeals to draw our collective gaze.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
8 Nov. 2025
-
In today’s housing market, even the lucky ones often face exhausting ordeals and need to stretch their budgets to land a home.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
While Garfield is walking through Washington’s Baltimore and Potomac train station with his two sons and Blaine (then Secretary of State), Guiteau shoots the President in the back.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
-
In Argentina, the journey to the Devil’s Throat begins aboard the open-air Ecological Train and ends at a balcony that shoots out over the falls.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
From the first shots at Lexington and Concord in 1775 to the last cannon blasts at Cuddalore in southern India in 1783, the Revolution broke boundaries and crossed borders.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Vilgefortz, true to form, begins by leading a squadron that blasts magic so aggressively at the fortress that some of them crumble into bones on the spot.—
Scott Meslow,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Mercury entering Sagittarius today stimulates your creative faculties.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The low-level, external electrical charge stimulates the body’s internal repair mechanism.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Ohio State sacks Altmyer five times, wins its 10th straight in the series and covers the spread.—
Manny Navarro,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Felix Anudike-Uzomah #97 of the Kansas City Chiefs sacks Bo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 10, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Principal photography is underway in Dallas, Texas, on the film which follows the Kassis family, whose healthy young son, Jade, is suddenly stricken with HLH — a rare and deadly blood disorder that throws them into a battle for his life.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The 5-foot-11, 154-pound Imai throws a mix of six pitches, but is more than simply a deception specialist.—
Jon Vankin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Saito burns about 7,000 calories per day and has lost 13 pounds so far.—
Kelly Meyerhofer,
jsonline.com,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Unlike conventional scramjets that rely on kerosene, SPARTAN burns hydrogen, producing zero carbon emissions while enabling reusable, low-maintenance hypersonic flight.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In more recent years, fire policies have been based mostly in suppression, researchers say, which have led to bigger wildfires.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
9 Nov. 2025
-
All active wildfires are shown.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fires. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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