open fire on
idiom
: to begin shooting at (someone or something)
The troops opened fire on the enemy.
Examples of open fire on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
James and Jennifer Crumbely, however, still face four counts of involuntary manslaughter each for their roles in their son's spiral and ultimate decision to open fire on his classmates.
—
Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 30 Nov. 2022
Proponents argued that police had to be able to enter buildings without warning so suspects couldn’t destroy evidence or open fire on officers.
—Caleb Bedillion, ProPublica, 7 Oct. 2022
Route 91 Harvest festival concertgoers had no idea a man would open fire on them from a hotel window.
—Hope Corrigan, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2022
But during last year’s demonstrations, Algerian security forces didn’t open fire on the Hirak protesters, the two sides instead staring each other down in a wary standoff.
—Adam Nossiter, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2020
In the days ahead, the country will be left to sift the President’s offenses from his fantasies: Will the military actually open fire on its people?
—Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 2 June 2020
Investigators are still working to piece together a timeline to explain how an 18-year-old gunman was able to walk up to Robb Elementary School with a rifle, enter without being stopped through an unlocked door, barricade himself inside a classroom and open fire on a class filled with children.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 27 May 2022
Shortly before the city’s curfew on Wednesday, Lieutenant Vogt was staring down his worst nightmare: Two of his colleagues had been shot, and there was a chance that officers may open fire on protesters.
—Will Wright, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2020
That includes people who threatened to open fire on a school site, a workplace or a busy public site.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2022
Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 30 Nov. 2022
Proponents argued that police had to be able to enter buildings without warning so suspects couldn’t destroy evidence or open fire on officers.
—Caleb Bedillion, ProPublica, 7 Oct. 2022
Route 91 Harvest festival concertgoers had no idea a man would open fire on them from a hotel window.
—Hope Corrigan, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2022
But during last year’s demonstrations, Algerian security forces didn’t open fire on the Hirak protesters, the two sides instead staring each other down in a wary standoff.
—Adam Nossiter, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2020
In the days ahead, the country will be left to sift the President’s offenses from his fantasies: Will the military actually open fire on its people?
—Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 2 June 2020
Investigators are still working to piece together a timeline to explain how an 18-year-old gunman was able to walk up to Robb Elementary School with a rifle, enter without being stopped through an unlocked door, barricade himself inside a classroom and open fire on a class filled with children.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 27 May 2022
Shortly before the city’s curfew on Wednesday, Lieutenant Vogt was staring down his worst nightmare: Two of his colleagues had been shot, and there was a chance that officers may open fire on protesters.
—Will Wright, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2020
That includes people who threatened to open fire on a school site, a workplace or a busy public site.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'open fire on.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Open fire on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20fire%20on. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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