firestorm

American

[fahyuhr-stawrm] / ˈfaɪərˌstɔrm /

Or fire storm

noun

an atmospheric phenomenon, caused by a large fire, in which the rising column of air above the fire draws in strong winds often accompanied by rain.
a raging fire of great intensity, as one fueled by oil or gas, that spreads rapidly.

firestorm British

/ ˈfaɪəˌstɔːm /

noun

an uncontrollable blaze sustained by violent winds that are drawn into the column of rising hot air over the burning area: often the result of heavy bombing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of firestorm

First recorded in 1575–85; fire + storm

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.

The ordeal was all-too-common during the deadly, destructive firestorms that seared Los Angeles County a little more than a year ago.

From Los Angeles Times

The firestorm ravaged Pacific Palisades and Altadena, killing 31, destroying more than 16,000 structures and contaminating others with toxins and heavy metals.

From Los Angeles Times

Residents near the burn scars from last year’s firestorm will remain under an evacuation warning through Tuesday.

From Los Angeles Times

The firestorm stoked by Rep. Khanna hasn’t only made a scapegoat of anybody who was personally associated with Epstein, however innocently.

From The Wall Street Journal

Marcos is facing a public firestorm over sham infrastructure projects meant to control flooding in the archipelago country, where typhoon-driven rains submerged entire towns last year.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023