fusillade
Americannoun
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a simultaneous or continuous discharge of firearms.
-
a general discharge or outpouring of anything.
a fusillade of questions.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a simultaneous or rapid continual discharge of firearms
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a sudden outburst, as of criticism
verb
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.
Vocabulary lists containing fusillade
"The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs
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"The Monkey's Paw," Vocabulary from the short story
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National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 2
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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.
See Examples For:
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
He announced his gubernatorial run in November with a fusillade of television and digital ads.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2025
This fusillade of explosions in quick succession produces a powerful galactic wind blowing gas out of the galaxy.
From Science Magazine ● Jan. 8, 2024
The Fed said it would hold rates steady to give more time to see how its fusillade of hikes over the last 15 months is affecting the economy.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 14, 2023
But Kathy let loose a fusillade of pungent suggestions, leaving them dumbfounded and momentarily speechless.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
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 Reynolds, Francis J. (Francis Joseph)
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 Burne, C. R. N. (Charles Richard Newdigate)
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 Vigée-Lebrun, Marie Louise Elisabeth
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 Carlyle, Thomas
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.
