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.
-
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.
-
causing a burning sensation, as certain liquors or condiments.
-
inflamed, as a tumor or sore.
-
Mining: Older Use.
-
highly flammable.
-
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
-
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:
Marvel Studios recently announced that a “Ghost Rider” reboot starring Ryan Gosling as the eponymous fiery, supernatural motorcyclist, will hit theaters July 28, 2028.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Thirty-six years ago, Nigel flew across the Atlantic as the fiery outsider, tearing through Doug DeWitt in Atlantic City to secure his first world title.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
And yet, this villain’s fiery domain, where imps torture souls nearby, is also recognizably Dionysian.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
The fiery Feb. 3, 2023 accident involved 20 cars carrying hazardous chemicals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
The pyroclastic surge, Jess realized, the fiery hurricane wind packed with poisonous gas and ash.
From "I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980" by Lauren Tarshis
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
I give thanks to God that I am made of fierier material.
From Merry Men by Robert Louis Stevenson
Walkerswood is known for producing some of the fieriest sauces.
From BBC ● May 31, 2026
The fieriest eulogy came from Hammock, who acknowledged that although Trinity's murder had brought people of all faiths together, he realized many would leave wondering why it had happened.
From Fox News ● Mar. 25, 2019
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
Acres of closely shaven lawns, dotted with flowering shrubs of the brightest reds, deepest purples, and fieriest solferinos, beds of rich-hued foliage plants, and cool, green masses of ferns meet your eye.
From Tales of the Malayan Coast From Penang to the Philippines by Rounsevelle Wildman
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.
