1
as in shooting
to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force
police officers firing rubber bullets
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in discharging
to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force
soldiers fired at the enemy in panic-stricken disorder
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in stimulating
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in sacking
to let go from office, service, or employment
fired the secretary for incompetence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in throwing
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 burning
to set (something) on fire
lit some kindling before attempting to fire the logs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of firing
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
20 June 2026
And with typical first-choice right-sided centre-back Jurrien Timber failing to recover in time from a groin injury, Van Hecke has continued firing passes through the lines for the Netherlands at the World Cup.
—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
29 June 2026
His catcher did the heavy lifting, firing to second to get Ewing.
—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for firing
Noun
Every month, there has been some new directive or precedential case or mass firing that spins the heads of court staff and of lawyers on both sides.
—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
20 June 2026
And with typical first-choice right-sided centre-back Jurrien Timber failing to recover in time from a groin injury, Van Hecke has continued firing passes through the lines for the Netherlands at the World Cup.
—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Verb
This included firing MasterChef host Gregg Wallace and Jermaine Jenas, a former Match of the Day pundit.
—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
29 June 2026
His catcher did the heavy lifting, firing to second to get Ewing.
—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for firing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firing
Noun
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Five jettisoned from Arguijo-Mejia’s apartment, through his door, through the hallway wall, with three blasting into Ojeda’s kitchen.
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Automatic weapons blasting, tires squealing, the whole bit.
Verb
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The film began shooting on location in Anglesey, North Wales, at the end of June.
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Olivia Wilde says that a drowning scene became a little too real while shooting one of her earliest movies.
Verb
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The process involved suctioning the newborn's airway and stimulating him.
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The addition of crushed silicate rock such as basalt to the soil can improve tree nutrition in two ways, either by stimulating tree growth via directly releasing nutrients into the soil, or by increasing soil PH.
Verb
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To an outsider, the scene may spark a certain Schadenfreude, like an army of tiny barbarians sacking Rome.
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One source close to the squad, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, told The Athletic that the AUF considered sacking Bielsa around this period, aware of the ongoing issues with the squad.
Verb
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The game featured two of baseball's best and hardest-throwing pitchers in Burns and Misiorowski.
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Players will be hopping, throwing, rolling, shooting and more in a broad test of their reflexes.
Verb
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The smoke from the burning vehicles contained hazardous materials commonly found in automobiles, including fuels, oils and interior components, Nunez said, although steady winds helped disperse the smoke.
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According to Graser, one of the victims had called from inside the burning building, pleading for help.
Noun
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Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that the bombardment was in response to Ukraine’s recent barrage of long-range strikes, which have caused severe fuel shortages and put pressure on President Vladimir Putin.
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Positioned in a valley in the highlands of eastern Ukraine, Kramatorsk and neighboring Sloviansk came under heavy aerial bombardment after the full-scale invasion of 2022, but became an oasis of sorts for Ukrainian troops as fire moved elsewhere.
Verb
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Another witness said Lopez stood up twice as the aircraft began descending into Las Vegas, went to the restroom, then returned to his seat before suddenly launching the attack.
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Ahead of launching its first-ever foldable device, Apple has already secured components for about 80 million smartphones spread across new models for the second half of 2026, according to Nikkei Asia.
Cite this Entry
“Firing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firing. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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