fireball
noun
fire·ball
ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌbȯl 
1
: a ball of fire
also
: something resembling such a ball
… the primordial fireball associated with the beginning of the universe. —
Scientific American
Scientific American 2
: a brilliant meteor that may trail bright sparks
3
: the highly luminous cloud of vapor and dust created by a nuclear explosion
4
: a highly energetic person
Examples of fireball in a Sentence
The house erupted into a fireball.
what this club needs is a fireball who will bring some sorely needed energy and enthusiasm
Recent Examples on the Web
The event with the most reports occurred on March 8, in which a slow, long-duration fireball over France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands garnered 3,229 reports, according to the AMS.
—Briana Alvarado, ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Iran kept up the pressure on its Gulf Arab neighbors, as Saudi Arabia intercepted five missiles targeting its oil-rich Eastern province, Bahrain sounded a missile alert, and a fireball erupted over Dubai as an incoming missile was taken out by defenses.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
In new attacks across the Gulf, Saudi Arabia intercepted five missiles, Bahrain sounded a missile alert, and a fireball erupted over Dubai as an incoming missile was taken out by air defenses.
—Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026
Reports of sonic booms—a marker of deeper, larger entries—were unusually common among these big events, with nearly four in five higher‑witness fireballs producing sonic booms, per the report.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fireball
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Briana Alvarado, ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Iran kept up the pressure on its Gulf Arab neighbors, as Saudi Arabia intercepted five missiles targeting its oil-rich Eastern province, Bahrain sounded a missile alert, and a fireball erupted over Dubai as an incoming missile was taken out by defenses.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
In new attacks across the Gulf, Saudi Arabia intercepted five missiles, Bahrain sounded a missile alert, and a fireball erupted over Dubai as an incoming missile was taken out by air defenses.
—Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026
Reports of sonic booms—a marker of deeper, larger entries—were unusually common among these big events, with nearly four in five higher‑witness fireballs producing sonic booms, per the report.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fireball
Cite this Entry
“Fireball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fireball. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fireball
noun
fire·ball
-ˌbȯl
1
: a ball of fire
2
: a very bright meteor
3
: the glowing cloud of vapor and dust created by a nuclear explosion
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