fiery
Americanadjective
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consisting of, attended with, characterized by, or containing fire.
a volcano's fiery discharge.
-
intensely hot.
fiery desert sands.
-
like or suggestive of fire.
a fiery red; angry, fiery eyes.
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intensely ardent, impetuous, or passionate.
fiery courage; a fiery speech.
- Synonyms:
- impassioned, spirited, vehement, fervent
- Antonyms:
- dispassionate, cold, cool
-
easily angered or provoked.
a fiery temper.
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causing a burning sensation, as certain liquors or condiments.
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inflamed, as a tumor or sore.
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Mining: Older Use.
-
highly flammable.
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containing highly flammable gas.
-
adjective
-
of, containing, or composed of fire
-
resembling fire in heat, colour, ardour, etc
a fiery desert wind
a fiery speaker
-
easily angered or aroused
a fiery temper
-
(of food) producing a burning sensation
a fiery curry
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(of the skin or a sore) inflamed
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flammable or containing flammable gas
-
(of a cricket pitch) making the ball bounce dangerously high
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fiery
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English fiery, fury, fery; see fire, -y 1
Explanation
When something is very hot or intense, it's fiery. Fiery can describe a literal blaze, a hot chili pepper, or even a fiery temper. Any time there's fire, you have a fiery situation. This word applies to a lot more than flames, though. If you lose your temper easily, you may be called hot-headed or fiery. An intense argument — with two people yelling and carrying on — could be called fiery. Any kind of intense emotion or passion is fiery. If you're a cool customer, you're not very fiery. Also, you could say that hot Indian curry or spicy chicken wings are fiery.
Vocabulary lists containing fiery
100 Great Words from "Fahrenheit 451" -- Part I Vocabulary
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"The Drummer Boy of Shiloh"
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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.
See Examples For:
During a recent rehearsal, it was uncanny how these performers look and sound so different — yet still carry the same fiery sense of invention as the actors who created the roles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
It means he will want the fiery Shelton to play smarter - and perhaps calmer in certain moments - to maximise his weapons.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
Lee’s crusade has animated a fiery debate in the dog-training world.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
In an unusually fiery speech last month at the United Nations General Assembly, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten vowed to defend the ICC "in my country, in my city".
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
The fiery light was gone from the sky.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
On another side of town, and in another fictional world, sketch-comedy group The Habit tries on a fierier stage adaptation with a much higher body count: the 1988 Christmas Eve action-thriller “Die Hard.”
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 12, 2019
With the help of a public speaking coach, he returned to the debates as a decidedly fierier presence.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 21, 2016
He was fierier than most Plowshares activists, a believer in miracles and prophecy, a bold “warrior for peace,” like Philip Berrigan.
From The New Yorker ● Feb. 28, 2015
While Mr. Boreyko led the orchestra in brisk, burnished readings — the brasses, not always the Philharmonic’s rock, were particularly strong — the final Allegro of the Dvorak could have been fierier.
From New York Times ● Nov. 25, 2012
III From the love that transfigures thy glory, From the light of the dawn of thy death, The life of thy song and thy story Took subtler and fierier breath.
From Astrophel and Other Poems Taken from The Collected Poetical Works of Algernon Charles Swinburne, Vol. VI by Algernon Charles Swinburne
The paper reported that there were parents in favor of the mask mandate, but some of the fieriest speeches came from those diametrically opposed.
From Fox News ● Aug. 18, 2021
Portraying Franklin - one of the last century's fieriest singers - is a daunting task, but although Hudson has a powerful voice, she can't come close to embodying the richness and range of Franklin's style.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2021
Having been trialled for 10 minutes at Southampton last week, it’s getting a full baptism of the fieriest fire today.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 19, 2017
Todd Stottlemyre, known as one of the fieriest pitchers of his era, won 138 games in the majors from 1988 to 2002.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 17, 2016
If I ever do get married I must certainly have wonderful luck, if there is any faith in signs, for I do build the fieriest fires.
From Eve to the Rescue by Dudley Gloyne Summers
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
