fire 1 of 2

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
Roley, who was found dead near the scene after appearing to have shot himself, is suspected of lighting the brush with a flint fire starter before ambushing the firefighting crew in a mountainous area of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 1 July 2025 Israel and Iran exchanged heavy fire for the eighth straight day on Friday, with Iranian missiles striking Israeli cities and Israeli jets targeting military and nuclear sites across Iran. Amanda Castro peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Verb
News of Kyiv's pending withdrawal comes just a day after Moscow fired 537 aerial weapons toward Ukraine, including 477 drones and decoys and 60 missiles, according to Ukraine's air force. Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2025 The Justice Department has reportedly fired at least three prosecutors involved in criminal cases tied to the 2021 US Capitol riot. Jade Walker, CNN Money, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for fire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fire
Noun
  • Nearly half a year since the infernos swept through their neighborhoods, thousands of people remain displaced – those like Mr. Quiroz’s mother, who lost homes, and those like Mr. Quiroz and his family, whose homes still stand.
    Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 20 June 2025
  • But Israel has also widened the scope of its strikes to hit economic targets, turning vital parts of Iran’s fossil fuel infrastructure into infernos.
    Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025
Noun
  • Known for his breakout role in Snowfall, Idris brings intensity, precision, and charisma to a performance that demanded serious physical training, emotional depth, and even some real-life time on the track.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 27 June 2025
  • Yet, in the nearly two years since then, the brutality and intensity of Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip have mobilized opposition around the world.
    Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Thankfully, Midas is now fully recovered from his gassy ordeal, and is back to his usual self, running around the house and enjoying life.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
  • Then, two weeks into my pre-op ordeal, a teenaged redhead came into my room.
    Noor Hassan, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • In fact, scientists say today's children are exposed to far fewer antigens—the components that stimulate immune responses—than their grandparents were, despite receiving more immunizations overall.
    Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • The Cancer new moon stimulates your visionary capacities.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Eight days later, in a game relocated to Glendale, Ariz., because of deadly wildfires in Southern California, Darnold was sacked nine times and had two turnovers (including a fumble returned for touchdown) in a 27-9 loss.
    Michael Silver, New York Times, 19 June 2025
  • Nix turned the ball over just eight times and was sacked 20 times in those final 13 games.
    Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Ohtani recorded two strikeouts while throwing 18 pitches, allowing his only baserunner on an error when Mookie Betts dropped a popup in the sun.
    Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025
  • Determined to defy the prognosis, Kamryn's dad threw himself into every possible treatment avenue—conventional and holistic.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • The pair, who met as college undergrads, both burned with idealism and recognized their privilege could be leveraged for a game-changing idea.
    Carole Horst, Variety, 13 Sep. 2023
  • The Ellen MacArthur Foundation promotes circular fashion and says that, in the United States, an amount of clothing equal to a garbage truck is ferried to landfills or burned every second.
    Neeti Mehra, Treehugger, 13 Sep. 2023
Noun
  • Late last week, some influential Democrats were saying that Lamont’s enthusiasm for his chief regulator may have cooled after PURA conceded destruction of the text messages.
    Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2025
  • Throughout, the cast of 17 exudes an unmistakable enthusiasm for the material, the onstage electricity radiating up the alpine slopes of the Guthrie’s expansive Wurtele Thrust.
    Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 28 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fire. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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