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Synonyms

firing

American  
[fahyuhr-ing] / ˈfaɪər ɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of a person or thing that fires.

  2. material for a fire; fuel.

  3. the act of baking ceramics or glass.

firing British  
/ ˈfaɪərɪŋ /

noun

  1. the process of baking ceramics, etc, in a kiln or furnace

    a second firing

  2. the act of stoking a fire or furnace

  3. a discharge of a firearm

  4. something used as fuel, such as coal or wood

  5. a scorching of plants, as a result of disease, drought, or heat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unfiring adjective

Etymology

Origin of firing

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; fire, -ing 1

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.

City could really do with getting Erling Haaland firing again, while this is Liverpool's first game since Mohamed Salah announced he will be leaving at the end of the season.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

The dollar and 10-year Treasury yields both briefly fell in July after the president said he hadn’t ruled out firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell, for instance.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Instead of firing at military targets, Iran has shifted to hitting oil facilities, hotels and civilian areas, she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

It had previously allowed US forces to use the bases only for defensive operations to prevent Iran firing missiles that put British interests or lives at risk.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

He toggled the joystick, stabbed at the keyboard, hit the red firing button.

From "Eleven" by Tom Rogers

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.