fiery
Americanadjective
-
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
-
(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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Drummer Boy of Shiloh"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Beowulf vocabulary
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
I see a lot of myself in her, just the fiery “I know what I want, I’m going to go get it.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
In “Shadow Before the Flame,” Ms. Katz rectifies that lapse with an account of the airship’s final trans-Atlantic flight and its fiery end at Lakehurst, N.J., on May 6, 1937.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 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
“We’re both fiery, fiery competitors and we want to win and it’s one of the things I really admire about her game,” Clark told the Associated Press in an interview published Wednesday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
I blinked my eyes at the burst of fiery bronze as they winged their way through the bright rays of the morning sun.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
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 often wonder if some woman's face, Seen at some rout in his old worldling days, Haunts him e'en now, e'en here, and urges him To fierier fury 'gainst the Florentines.
From Seven Men by Sir Max Beerbohm
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
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
Thomas’ dissent is, in many ways, the fieriest of the bunch.
From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2015
Joan and Mary whom I've always thought of as just wrapped up in the good works of their dear good selves, really rose in their wrath and scorched me with the fieriest opposition.
From Sinister Street, vol. 2 by Compton MacKenzie
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
