firing line

American  

noun

1. Military.

   1. the positions at which troops are stationed to fire upon the enemy or targets.

   2. the troops firing from this line.

2. the forefront of any action or activity, especially a controversy.

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firing line British  

noun

1. military

   1. the positions from which fire is delivered

   2. the soldiers occupying these positions

2. the leading or most advanced position in an activity

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Etymology

Origin of firing line

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

But rather than be congratulated for what he has done with his side, he is in the firing line over these allegations and the German was again having to face difficult questions.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

They said there was no current plan for the kind of complex escorts that in dozens of missions starting in 1987 put Navy ships directly in Iran’s firing line.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

But the stark contrast between near-record profits and sharp rate hikes has put the industry in the regulatory firing line.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

Poland has been in the firing line since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and has taken in more than a million Ukrainian refugees who fled the fighting.

From Barron's • Dec. 18, 2025

And the remedial training is probably why Miss Preston wants to see me, anyway, so it ain't like I'm in any hurry to get to the firing line.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland