fire
7 synonyms and 0 antonyms for fire, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The chemical reaction of burning, producing heat, light, and flame.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use fire
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English fyr, going back to a very old Germanic root shared with German Feuer and Dutch vuur, ultimately tracing to an ancient Indo-European word for fire.
Full origin of fire →Frequently asked questions
What does “fire” mean?
The word “fire” means the chemical reaction of burning, producing heat, light, and flame. In plain terms, burning combustion; also, to shoot a weapon or to dismiss someone from a job.
How do you pronounce “fire”?
“Fire” is pronounced FEYE-uh (/ˈfaɪ.ɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “fire” in a sentence?
Here is “fire” used in a sentence: “They gathered around the fire to keep warm.”
What is another word for “fire”?
Words with a similar meaning to “fire” include blaze, flame, conflagration and inferno.
What part of speech is “fire”?
Depending on how it is used, “fire” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “fire” come from?
The word “fire” comes from Old English. From Old English fyr, going back to a very old Germanic root shared with German Feuer and Dutch vuur, ultimately tracing to an ancient Indo-European word for fire.
Is “fire” a common word?
“Fire” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “fire” have?
“Fire” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the chemical reaction of burning, producing heat, light, and flame.
What is the difference between fire and flame?
A flame is the visible, glowing part of a fire — the region of hot, burning gas that gives off light. Fire is the whole process of combustion, including the heat, the fuel being consumed, and the flame itself. In short, every flame comes from fire, but fire is more than just its flame.
What three things does a fire need to burn?
Fire needs heat, fuel, and oxygen — often called the fire triangle. Remove any one and the fire goes out. That is exactly how firefighting works: water cools away the heat, smothering removes oxygen, and clearing flammable material takes away the fuel. All three must be present for burning to continue.
Is fire a solid, liquid, or gas?
Fire is none of these — it is not a substance but a chemical reaction. What you see is glowing gas and tiny particles releasing heat and light as fuel combines with oxygen. Because it is a process rather than matter, fire has no fixed shape and vanishes the moment burning stops.
Is fire a living thing?
No. Fire can seem alive because it grows, moves, and consumes fuel, but it does not meet the definition of life. It has no cells, cannot reproduce biologically, and passes on no genetic material. It is simply a fast chemical reaction that spreads wherever heat, fuel, and oxygen allow it to.