fusillade

American  

[fyoo-suh-leyd, -lahd, -zuh-] / ˈfju səˌleɪd, -ˌlɑd, -zə- /

noun

1. a simultaneous or continuous discharge of firearms.

2. a general discharge or outpouring of anything.

   a fusillade of questions.

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verb (used with object)

fusilladed, fusillading

1. to attack or shoot by a fusillade.

fusillade British  

/ -ˈlɑːd, ˌfjuːzɪˈleɪd /

noun

1. a simultaneous or rapid continual discharge of firearms

2. a sudden outburst, as of criticism

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verb

1. (tr) to attack with a fusillade

Etymology

Origin of fusillade

First recorded in 1795–1805; from French, equivalent to fusill(er) “to shoot” ( see fusil ¹) + -ade -ade ¹

Explanation

When you watch an action movie, the hero's deadly fusillade often results in at least one of his enemies being shot. The noun fusillade describes a quick round of gunfire. To correctly pronounce fusillade, say "FEW sill ahd." The word probably reminds you of fuselage, the part of an aircraft where crew members and passengers sit. But the words only sound alike. Fuselage gets its name from its cylinder shape, while fusillade comes from the French word fusil, meaning "musket." Fusillade also can be used in a figurative sense to describe a rapid series of anything, such as a fusillade of punches or a fusillade of questions.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fusillade fusilladed fusillading

And to say its fusillade of jokes is hit-and-miss would also be a charitable take.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026

Chinese officials directed a rhetorical fusillade at Ms. Takaichi, and have ratcheted up economic pressure by discouraging Chinese tourism to Japan and restricting rare-earth mineral exports.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 4, 2026

A fusillade of calcium batteries and white plastic bags drifted above the landscape along with birds and the final image was a dove soaring above the desolation.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 26, 2023

In this context, the noise and clamoring of the media, the fusillade of poisonous opinion mongering, the silence of the lamppost video felt almost sacral.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 28, 2023

This soon became clear when a platoon of otters on the ramparts unloosed a rattling fusillade of heavy pebbles.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

We saw and fusilladed the Pom-poms through this smoke at 10,000 yards with the 4.7's, and at 5 p.m. we had the whole ground in our possession.

From With the Naval Brigade in Natal (1899-1900) Journal of Active Service by C. R. N. (Charles Richard Newdigate) Burne

In the evening and night the latter showed special activity, star rockets and other fireworks being used to illumine the opposing positions, which were heavily fusilladed.

From World's War Events, Vol. I by Francis J. (Francis Joseph) Reynolds

I was so appalled by their stories and by the incessant cannonading and fusillading that one evening I attempted to go down into a cellar and stay there.

From The Memoirs of Madame Vigée Lebrun by Marie Louise Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun

Accordingly alongside of these bonfires of Church balustrades, and sounds of fusillading and noyading, there rise quite another sort of fires and sounds: Smithy-fires and Proof-volleys for the manufacture of arms.

From The French Revolution by Thomas Carlyle

Related Words

• barrage
• broadside
• burst
• crossfire
• firing
• salvo
• volley