fire 1 of 2

Definition of firenext
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
First Baptist Dallas will break ground on its new sanctuary on Sunday, June 7, after a massive fire destroyed the church's 134-year-old sanctuary in the summer of 2024, the church announced on Sunday. S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026 Three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire in the first days of the conflict in the midst of an Iranian air assault. Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
Tottenham Hotspur fired its coach, again, over the weekend. Tim Rohan, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026 The officer then fired his gun, hitting Serrano multiple times. Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fire
Noun
  • One night in early March, an Iranian writer and dissident climbed to the roof of his apartment building, in Tehran, to marvel at a towering inferno that had blanketed the sky in smoke.
    Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Carlsbad’s late first-quarter surge became an inferno in the second, with the Lancers going on a 5-0 run over the final 12 minutes of the half to take an 8-3 lead.
    Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Several hundred meters away, at the Cheonggyecheon stream, levels still hovered between 70 and 80 decibels—the intensity of a busy street or a vacuum cleaner.
    Yook JiHun, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Redick shouted out Bronny James for his efforts against Indiana after the game, lauding his defensive intensity – often being switched onto Pacers All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, and holding his own – along with a late mid-range jumper that quelled concerns of a once-improbable Indiana comeback.
    Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Duffy, the Welsh singer who was abducted, held captive for weeks, and raped, leading to her retreat from the public eye, will give her account of the harrowing ordeal in a new Hulu Original documentary for Disney+.
    Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Surveillance video inside the efficiency captured the entire ordeal, deputies said.
    Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Less than an hour later, a 25-year-old man was shot twice in his right arm and twice in his right leg at Creston Ave.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
  • In the last seconds of the finale, Ari Haswari (Rudolf Martin) shoots Todd dead — still the series’ most shocking moment over the decades.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In 2013, one of the grand juries Hill convened issued an 18-page report blasting the Lakeland Police Department’s handling of public records requests and recommended the police chief be removed.
    Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Levi McCathern, the athlete’s attorney, has since pushed back on the allegations, blasting them as a shakedown.
    Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Third, according to Foligain, scientific research has shown that minoxidil can stimulate follicle activity at the cellular level.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
  • These vibrations resonate within the sinus cavities, stimulating the surrounding tissues and encouraging natural mucus drainage.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • He was sacked a league-leading 55 times and threw the most interceptions (17) while the Raiders finished tied for the worst record (3-14).
    Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Some vocal Brighton supporters called for Hurzeler to be sacked after a 1-0 home defeat by rivals Crystal Palace on February 8.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia fielded the ball and stepped on second base bag before throwing.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Mar. 2026
  • In a post on X earlier that day, LAPD said protesters along Alameda Street between Aliso and Temple streets had been warned multiple times by federal authorities not to attempt to tear down a gate or throw objects.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fire. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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