friendly fire
Americannoun
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Insurance. a fire deliberately set and remaining contained, as in a fireplace or boiler, from which any resulting loss cannot be claimed as an insurance liability (opposed to hostile fire).
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(in military combat) fire, as by artillery, by one's own forces, especially when causing damage near or casualties to one's own troops.
noun
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.
However, maintaining that heightened state of readiness may also increase the chance of immune "friendly fire," in which the body mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues and triggers autoimmune disease.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
The US military has announced the loss of several aircraft during Iran operations, including a tanker that crashed in Iraq and three F-15s shot down by Kuwaiti friendly fire.
From Barron's ● Apr. 4, 2026
Earlier this month, three F-15s were shot down in "an apparent friendly fire incident" over Kuwait, officials said.
From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026
The incident was not due to hostile or friendly fire according to Central Command.
From Salon ● Mar. 13, 2026
I didn’t want to hear it if she did, but I wasn’t eager to leave the lighted room where my family sat around the friendly fire.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
