under fire

Idioms  

1. Criticized or held responsible, as in The landlord is under fire for not repairing the roof. This expression originally referred to being within range of enemy guns; its figurative use dates from the late 1800s.

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Example Sentences

Meanwhile, Disney was coming under fire for its climbing into bed with a company that artists, writers and other content creators regard as a plagiarism machine.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Dell Technologies gains as Super Micro comes under fire for its employees’ involvement in an alleged chip smuggling plot.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Another function on the app, its 'heatmap', has previously come under fire for sharing the location of exercise routes of military personnel in bases around the world.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Even Mamdani’s family’s social media usage is coming under fire.

From Salon • Mar. 12, 2026

The French awarded the doughty little pigeon their Croix de Guerre medal for bravery under fire.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman