EN

Synonyms for fire

  • verb
  • noun

Most common

ignite kindle stoke fuel discharge dismiss light shoot

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Ignite — to inflame; to irritate, as the passions

ignite, kindle, stoke, fuel, stir up, set on fire, heat, arouse, incite, provoke, inflame, rouse, set fire to, quicken, wake, animate, whip up, stimulate, go, excite, drive, push

2. Discharge — to terminate the employment contract of (an employee), especially for cause (such as misconduct…

discharge, dismiss, sack informal, can US, force out, force, throw out, axe UK, ax US, let go, give the axe informal, shop, send away, terminate, shit-can vulgar slang

3. Light — to set (something, often a building) on fire

light, aflame, torch, alight dated, light up slang

4. Shoot — to forcibly direct (something)

shoot, throw

Other

flame up, open fire, burn down, bake, let off, combust, go off, cast, loose, perk up, enthuse, illuminate

Noun

1. Flame

flame, blaze, burning, inferno, bonfire, flaming, beacon

2. Passion

passion, ardor US, ardour UK, fervor US, fervour UK, spirit, intensity, soul, enthusiasm

3. Blast

blast, attack, flak

4. Conflagration

conflagration, combustion, ignition

Other

lay-off, set-off, trigger, holocaust, work-up

Antonyms

hire, appoint, ice

All antonyms of fire →

Definitions

  1. v. 1

    To set (something, often a building) on fire.

  2. v. 2

    To terminate the employment contract of (an employee), especially for cause (such as misconduct, incompetence, or poor performance).

  3. n. 1

    A (usually self-sustaining) chemical reaction involving the bonding of oxygen with carbon or other fuel, with the production of heat and the presence of flame or smouldering.

  4. n. 2

    An instance of this chemical reaction, especially when intentionally created and maintained in a specific location to a useful end (such as a campfire or a hearth fire).

    We sat about the fire singing songs and telling tales.

Related words

Word family
firearm fireball firebird fireboat firebomb firebrand fire-breather fire-breathing
Phrases
set on fire fire up set fire to catch fire take fire fire drill ball of fire dumpster fire

Forms

Plural
fires → flames, blazes, burnings, infernos…
Past participle
fired
e.g. fired → ignited, kindled, stoked, fueled…

Choose the right word

Fire, Blaze, Flame or Combustion?

Fire is always attended with light, as well as heat; blaze, flame, etc., designate the mingled light and heat of a fire. Combustion is the scientific, fire the popular term.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

  • fuel They ran out of fuel in the middle of the Pacific.
  • kindle Will you buy a Kindle, a Nook or a Kobo eReader?
  • stoke Suddenly smelling smoke could be a sign of stoke.
  • ignite What you wish to ignite in another must burn inside you.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
firesteady
fuelfalling
kindlesteady
stokerising
igniterising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

2 letters
go1, ax1
3 letters
can1, axe1
4 letters
heat1, shop1, wake1, push1, cast1, soul1, fuel2, sack1, bake1, flak1
5 letters
light1, force1, drive1, throw1, shoot1, loose1, blast1, flame1, stoke1, torch1, blaze1, rouse1, ardor2
6 letters
attack2, spirit2, kindle2, beacon2, ignite2, excite2, incite2, alight2, fervor2, arouse2, aflame2, ardour
7 letters
burning2, passion2, trigger2, dismiss2, provoke2, flaming2, inferno3, bonfire3, animate3, quicken2, fervour, inflame2, combust2, enthuse2
8 letters
ignition3
9 letters
intensity4, discharge2, holocaust3, stimulate3, terminate3
10 letters
enthusiasm5, combustion3, illuminate4
13 letters
conflagration4

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (fuel2 = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français
licencier
Italiano
licenziare
Español
despedir