fires 1 of 2

noun

plural of fire
1
as in infernos
a destructive burning a number of suspicious fires in the neighborhood recently

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2
as in ordeals
a test of faith, patience, or strength asked to be sent to the front lines, as he was eager to prove himself in the fire of battle

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fires

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of fire
1
as in shoots
to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force police officers firing rubber bullets

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2
as in blasts
to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force soldiers fired at the enemy in panic-stricken disorder

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3
as in stimulates
to give life, vigor, or spirit to a school outing to the natural history museum fired his imagination, and he grew up to become an eminent paleontologist

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in sacks
to let go from office, service, or employment fired the secretary for incompetence

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in throws
to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm fired a pass to the running back

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6
as in burns
to set (something) on fire lit some kindling before attempting to fire the logs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 fires
Noun
There is a history of large plume dominated fires this time of year with similar weather and fuel conditions, including the Bridge, Bobcat, and Station fires. — Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026 See map of Ross Fire Busy wildfire season The fire comes amid a busy wildfire season, as areas of the country face dry conditions that create the perfect environment for fires to start. — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026 Eddie Howe left this summer, exhausted from fighting fires, and other big players have gone. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Deadly fires, often linked to electrical faults or gas cylinder explosions, are common in India where investigators have frequently pointed to safety lapses and inadequate enforcement of fire regulations as contributing to recurring loss of life. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026 However, increasingly dry grasses and low humidity mean fires can still ignite easily. — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026 Co-director Rory Mitchell is among the many thousands who lost homes in the fires. — David Bloom, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
Picture Angel Reese grabbing a rebound and passing to Caitlin Clark, who then fires down the floor to Paige Bueckers, who drives to the goal and fools the help defender with a dish to the best player on the planet. — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 The fact is, MLB’s next expansion derby isn’t going to be won by the city that wakes up after Commissioner Rob Manfred fires the starting gun. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026 The bureau conducts its own investigation each time an agent fires a weapon. — Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 And 10 years later, DOGE actually fires hundreds of thousands of federal workers. — Tonya Mosley, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026 Reach out to a teammate about travel plans or a community event, because purpose fires your optimism and keeps everyone moving together. — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 Kyiv often fires hundreds of drones into Russia in retaliation for Russia launching hundreds of its own drones and dozens of missiles at Ukrainian towns and cities. — CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026 Zelenskyy is keen to move quickly on a coproduction agreement as Russia relentlessly fires ballistic missiles that are hard to stop and cause civilian casualties as well as inflicting huge damage on civilian areas. — ABC News, 24 July 2026 The machine fires X-ray beams at a subject, then uses a specialized camera to record how a bone absorbs the beams based on density. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 23 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fires
  1. infernos
  2. ordeals
  3. shoots
  4. blasts
  5. stimulates
  6. sacks
  7. throws
  8. burns
Noun
  • The soaring temperatures have caused raging infernos across southern France and Spain, with European wildfires burning through 56% more land than in prior years.
    — Oliver Balch, Fortune, 27 July 2026
  • From a military perspective though, this strike, and the infernos which have engulfed other Wildberries facilities, have some important lessons for the rest of the world.
    — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of infernos
Noun
  • The two have remained united throughout the murder investigation and subsequent legal ordeals regarding Kohberger.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Through their fantastical ordeals, the X-Men illustrate qualities that inspire viewers, young and old.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of ordeals
Verb
  • Later, the dual protagonist perspectives come into play during a police chase when Lucia takes the wheel while Jason shoots out the window.
    — Angela Yang, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Even during the rut, Infalt shoots most of his mature bucks in the thick stuff near where deer sleep.
    — Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of shoots
Verb
  • Star Wars is no stranger to good video games, and Zero Company quite handily blasts its way into the conversation as one of the best.
    — Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • On social media, Talarico blasts Paxton on affordability, citing a recent report showing the Attorney General owns 15 homes worth $9 million dollars, while on an annual government salary of $153,000.
    — Jack Fink, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of blasts
Verb
  • Stronger trade winds help to move warm surface water away from the South American coast, which stimulates upwelling—that is, the movement of cold, dense, and nutrient-rich deep ocean water toward the surface.
    — John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026
  • That extra load stimulates bones to grow denser and challenges muscles to adapt.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of stimulates
Verb
  • Cale Britt sacks the quarterback and Bishop Moore will take over on downs at their own 42.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Manning, back for what is probably his final season, is on the short list of best returning quarterbacks in the country and edge rusher Colin Simmons won the SEC sacks title with 12.
    — Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 3 Jan. 2026
Definition of sacks
Verb
  • Joe accuses Nathan of being insecure; Nathan throws the accusation back.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The soft gray-white rattan complements the tailored beige high-density comfort cushions and creates an airy backdrop for your ever-evolving collection of seasonal all-weather pillows and throws.
    — Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of throws
Verb
  • Impossibly juicy to its core, the chicken is served with a clever tofu-mustard sauce that’s tangy, savory, and smooth (not unlike ranch but also definitely not ranch) and a winning, aromatic jiao chili sauce that burns with a sweet heat.
    — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
  • When applied to weeds, vinegar burns the leaves and foliage but not the root system.
    — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of burns

Browse Nearby Words

fireproof
fires
fire sale
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Cite this Entry

“Fires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fires. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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