fiery
Americanadjective
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consisting of, attended with, characterized by, or containing fire.
a volcano's fiery discharge.
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intensely hot.
fiery desert sands.
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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
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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.
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highly flammable.
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containing highly flammable gas.
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adjective
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of, containing, or composed of fire
-
resembling fire in heat, colour, ardour, etc
a fiery desert wind
a fiery speaker
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easily angered or aroused
a fiery temper
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(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
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(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.
And as the U.S. prepares for a bruising test against Bosnia and Herzegovina for a place in the round of 16, it took a fiery Argentine to remind the Americans how to represent their country.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026
Mexico’s defense held off a spirited final push by South Korea, earning a 1-0 win on Thursday night at Guadalajara Stadium in front of a fiery announced sellout crowd of 45,522.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026
The hearing started with fiery statements from victims' family members.
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
They don’t yet know the reasons behind this, only that they have a fiery assurance that what they’re doing is right.
From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026
I was experiencing an ordeal: a hand of fiery iron grasped my vitals.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
