catch fire
Idioms-
Be ignited, as in This wood is dry enough to catch fire . [c. 1600] Also see set on fire .
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Become inflamed with enthusiasm or passion, as in His ideas caught fire all over the country . [Early 1700s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
All lithium batteries can uncontrollably heat and catch fire through a chemical chain reaction known as thermal runaway.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
England, who are yet to catch fire at the tournament, named an unchanged side for the fourth consecutive match.
From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026
The U.S. jobs market took a sharp turn for the worse in 2025, and it doesn’t look like hiring will catch fire in the new year.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 20, 2025
It’s not like “Sue me” is a “Million Dollar Baby,” Tommy Richman-style viral hit, but it did catch fire and that felt great.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2025
Watching that joy is like watching a piece of paper catch fire.
From "Hurricane Child" by Kheryn Callender
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
