fireback

1 of 2

noun

fire·​back ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌbak How to pronounce fireback (audio)
: an often decorated cast-iron plate lining the back wall of a fireplace

fire back

2 of 2

verb

fired back; firing back; fires back

intransitive verb

: to answer someone quickly and usually angrily
After his statement, his opponents fired back.
often used with at
She fired back at her critics.

transitive verb

: to utter as a quick and angry response
He fired back a comparable insult …Drew T. Brown III

Examples of fireback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The head was followed by bright yellowish-orange tail feathers, easily identifiable as the fireback. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025 There’s also a cast iron fireback in the fireplace in the living room. Joanne Kempinger Demski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 26 May 2022
Verb
Musk fires back at OpenAI attorney watch now Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news. Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 2 May 2026 Hegseth fires back at Warren’s insider trading comments tied to Iran war. FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026 OpenAI fires back Outside the courtroom, OpenAI released a detailed statement defending its structure and mission. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026 Elon Musk repeatedly fired back at OpenAI’s lawyer in a tense cross-examination during the second day of a tech trial that could help define the future of artificial intelligence. Shanshan Dong, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026 Hegseth fired back by questioning the congressman’s motives. Nik Popli, Time, 29 Apr. 2026 Hoffman fired back at Drazkowski's comments in a passionate plea for his colleagues to support it. Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026 The first lady fired back on social media, and a short time later, so did the president, who's calling on ABC and its parent company, Disney, to fire Kimmel. Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026 Cyndi Lauper didn’t hold back when a heckler interrupted her opening night in Las Vegas, firing back mid-show with an expletive-laced response that quickly drew cheers from the crowd. Kennedy French, Variety, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1566, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1880, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of fireback was in 1566

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Cite this Entry

“Fireback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fireback. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

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