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 But the gesture erupted into a firestorm of criticism by media and sports fans who believed the uncontested basket meddled with the integrity of the game. — Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026 Or that the firestorm would not be about basketball but about transgender women. — Greg Cote august 3, Miami Herald, 3 Aug. 2026 The statement created a firestorm of reaction, with Brink and Maasdam allies each racing to their candidate’s defense. — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 30 July 2026 Masino had tried to attract younger diners with the rebrand that sparked a political firestorm. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for firestorm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firestorm
  1. controversy
  2. debate
  3. dispute
  4. disputation
  5. disagreement
Noun
  • As Crowley sprinted across the state to capture undecided voters, Hong was batting down controversies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • But controversies tied to the people around him — most recently antisemitic and white nationalist social media posts by his son-in-law — have dogged him throughout his campaign.
    — Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of controversy
Noun
  • And Lakeland City Commissioners pass a one-year moratorium on data center construction as the debate over AI facilities plays out in election campaigns around the state.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The debate is further complicated because the state owns the bridge, while the only railroad using it — Providence and Worcester — is a private business serving another private business, RED Technologies, a division of multinational ReWorld.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of debate
Noun
  • Rezaei accused Washington of violating the memorandum of understanding and launching attacks without first referring the issue to the dispute resolution committee.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The latest dispute in House centers on whether the College Sports Commission has the authority to review NIL agreements involving multimedia rights companies.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 4 Aug. 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
  • The judges eventually discuss the clothes — but there, too, things get dramatic, with a lot of disagreement between Law and the other judges.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Although proposals for a memorial had emerged shortly after Lincoln’s assassination in 1865, decades of political disagreement over its design, location and purpose had delayed construction.
    — Jennifer Tucker, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 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 Aug. 2026.

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