light a fire under (someone)

idiom

US, informal

: to cause (someone) to move or work more quickly and effectively

I've never seen him work so hard. Someone must have lit a fire under him.

Examples of light a fire under (someone) in a Sentence

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Loading your audio article SAN FRANCISCO — The new NBA All-Star weekend format gives the winning Rising Stars team a new responsibility: the opportunity to light a fire under an All-Star club. —

Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025 Even still, that market should light a fire under Anthopoulos to answer one of the biggest questions about what Atlanta needs for the 2025 season. —

Zach Pressnell, Newsweek, 1 Feb. 2025 On the break between the second and third set, Keys wandered close enough to the courtside box for a chat and found her coach trying to light a fire under her. —

Matthew Futterman, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025 That might well light a fire under European demand for EVs and seriously embarrass European manufacturers. —

Neil Winton, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for light a fire under (someone)

Dictionary Entries Near light a fire under (someone)

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light air

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“Light a fire under (someone).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/light%20a%20fire%20under%20%28someone%29. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.

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