open fire
idiom
: to begin shooting
A man opened fire in a crowded mall.
—often + onThe soldiers opened fire on enemy troops.
Examples of open fire in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is a pretty, warm room with arched interior colonnades, anchored by a display kitchen with an open fire.
—
Andrea Bennett, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
The fishing is quick and easy, followed by lunch cooked over an open fire.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
Homeland Security officials later said the man used his vehicle to ram federal agent vehicles in an attempt to evade arrest, prompting an agent to open fire.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Two officers then open fire and Pretti is killed.
—Michael Biesecker, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for open fire
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Andrea Bennett, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
The fishing is quick and easy, followed by lunch cooked over an open fire.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
Homeland Security officials later said the man used his vehicle to ram federal agent vehicles in an attempt to evade arrest, prompting an agent to open fire.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Two officers then open fire and Pretti is killed.
—Michael Biesecker, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for open fire
Cite this Entry
“Open fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20fire. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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