firing line
Americannoun
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Military.
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the positions at which troops are stationed to fire upon the enemy or targets.
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the troops firing from this line.
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the forefront of any action or activity, especially a controversy.
noun
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military
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the positions from which fire is delivered
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the soldiers occupying these positions
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the leading or most advanced position in an activity
Etymology
Origin of firing line
First recorded in 1880–85
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.
On the firing line are roles in functions including human resources and risk and compliance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
The Catford fighter put that plan into action and started to punish Flores with hooks as she stepped out of the firing line.
From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2026
Sentiment in Asia was dragged Tuesday, however, by renewed concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on the tech sector, with software firms again in the firing line.
From Barron's ● Feb. 24, 2026
But the stark contrast between near-record profits and sharp rate hikes has put the industry in the regulatory firing line.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026
And the remedial training is probably why Miss Preston wants to see me, anyway, so it ain't like I'm in any hurry to get to the firing line.
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
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.
