under fire

Idioms  

1. Criticized or held responsible, as in The landlord is under fire for not repairing the roof. This expression originally referred to being within range of enemy guns; its figurative use dates from the late 1800s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

under fire

Many vessels have instead chosen to take a southern route, close to Oman on the opposite side of the strait, occasionally coming under fire.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

CBS News head Bari Weiss, whom Ellison brought on when he bought her company Free Press, last year, has been under fire for changes she is enacting at the news organization.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

He is not alone in using his phone to conduct video interviews with prospective employers — but doing so has come under fire recently.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

The Daily Telegraph suggests that Devon and Cornwall Police are now "under fire" for their repeated insistence that Widdecombe's murder was not politically motivated.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

But first, Ladybird, you’ve come under fire recently for your promotion of a pageant that some see as antiquated.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray