under fire

phrase

1
: exposed to fire from an enemy's weapons
The soldier showed courage under fire.
2
: under attack
The company has come under fire for its discriminatory hiring policies.

Examples of under fire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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When an infantry unit was trapped and isolated by the enemy, Capers led a rescue mission to get the Marines out of the kill zone under fire. Ethan Rocke, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026 The cameras lately have come under fire for officers misusing them. Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 This is the second officer to come under fire in less than a week. Reg Chapman, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 Sargeant, a Florida oil magnate, had come under fire from Venezuelan opposition figures and US allies for allegedly propping up Maduro. Fabiola Zerpa, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for under fire

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Cite this Entry

“Under fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under%20fire. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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