fireball
noun
fire·ball
ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌbȯl 
1
: a ball of fire
also
: something resembling such a ball
… the primordial fireball associated with the beginning of the universe. —
Scientific American
Scientific American 2
: a brilliant meteor that may trail bright sparks
3
: the highly luminous cloud of vapor and dust created by a nuclear explosion
4
: a highly energetic person
Examples of fireball in a Sentence
The house erupted into a fireball.
what this club needs is a fireball who will bring some sorely needed energy and enthusiasm
Recent Examples on the Web
Photographers captured the Perseids and Geminids meteor showers, a giant fireball streaking across the Florida coastline, and the Milky Way glowing above thousands of fireflies in Italy.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
The planes then fall together, exploding into a fireball upon impact as the crew members drift to the ground nearby.
—Rebecca Boone, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
These asteroids, known as imminent impactors, mostly burn up in our atmosphere, producing brilliant fireballs in the sky.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 May 2026
During the Trinity blast, sand swept into the ensuing fireball was exposed to temperatures higher than 1,500 degrees Celsius and pressures of several gigapascals—that’s tens of thousands of times normal atmospheric pressure and enough to squeeze graphite into diamond.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fireball
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Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
The planes then fall together, exploding into a fireball upon impact as the crew members drift to the ground nearby.
—Rebecca Boone, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
These asteroids, known as imminent impactors, mostly burn up in our atmosphere, producing brilliant fireballs in the sky.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 May 2026
During the Trinity blast, sand swept into the ensuing fireball was exposed to temperatures higher than 1,500 degrees Celsius and pressures of several gigapascals—that’s tens of thousands of times normal atmospheric pressure and enough to squeeze graphite into diamond.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fireball
Cite this Entry
“Fireball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fireball. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fireball
noun
fire·ball
-ˌbȯl
1
: a ball of fire
2
: a very bright meteor
3
: the glowing cloud of vapor and dust created by a nuclear explosion
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