firestorm

noun

ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌstȯrm How to pronounce firestorm (audio)
Definition of firestormnext
as in controversy
variance of opinion on a matter a seemingly endless firestorm was ignited by that U.S. Supreme Court decision

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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 firestorm Well, that caused a firestorm among NATO members. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 18 June 2026 But this year, there have been increasing signs that the Academies’ ability to dodge political firestorms has reached its limit. — ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026 In that same county, the Grayslake Village Board recently approved a massive data-center complex, igniting a firestorm within the normally quiet exurb. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026 The first excerpt’s release on June 13 ignited a political firestorm. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for firestorm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firestorm
  1. controversy
  2. debate
  3. dispute
  4. disputation
  5. disagreement
Noun
  • The Giants have had their share of controversies during their disappointing first half.
    — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 10 July 2026
  • The leader of the Reform UK party – which is topping most UK opinion polls – resigned as a member of parliament for Clacton-on-Sea, his constituency in southeast England, on Tuesday, amid mounting controversy over undeclared financial donations.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
Definition of controversy
Noun
  • The debate over the development has played out amid a serious downturn in the region’s entertainment industry, with studios shifting film and television production to Georgia, New Mexico and other out-of-state locations.
    — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • Because of the vast amount of money being thrown into these markets, semantic debates have exploded into financial ones.
    — Jon Sarlin, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of debate
Noun
  • Herzog won a power struggle in the front office, then quit anyway, amid disputes with ownership.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The court was established in 2001 and began functioning four years later as both an international court to settle disputes among Caribbean countries and as a final court of appeal.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
Definition of dispute
Noun
  • This did not, however, mark the end of disputation concerning the Northwest Angle.
    — Scott Spires, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
  • According to him, advances in machine learning have yanked questions once trapped inside theological/philosophical disputations into corporate board packs.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025
Definition of disputation
Noun
  • Rather, the point would be to convert disagreements regarding biodiversity into guidance for ongoing experimentation.
    — Taylor Dotson, Scientific American, 10 July 2026
  • His comments broadened the debate beyond Machado’s individual case, framing the controversy as one involving fundamental civil liberties rather than simply a political disagreement over the opposition leader’s role during the disaster response.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026
Definition of disagreement

Browse Nearby Words

firesides
firestorm
firestorms
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Cite this Entry

“Firestorm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firestorm. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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