fire (up)

verb

Definition of fire (up)next
as in to provoke
to rouse to strong feeling or action the dynamic speaker fired up the audience as no one had previously done

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fire (up)
  1. provoke
  2. encourage
  3. stimulate
Verb
  • From this format emerges the tacit thesis that the Bicentennial cultural activities excelled at provoking critical, imaginative reflections on America’s past and future from artmakers and from ordinary citizens alike.
    — Anna Kornbluh, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • She never has been diagnosed with an underlying seizure disorder, such as epilepsy, and a medical test to provoke a seizure in Linton after the crash came back with no abnormal brain activity, prosecutors said.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of provoke
Verb
  • Unlike many spas that focus on the healing effects of treatments, Kamalaya goes much deeper, encouraging guests to explore more emotional issues in a safe space.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Still, Terry Strada, whose husband, Tom Strada, was killed in the attacks, said she was encouraged that more than 100 family members of 9/11 victims turned out and by the judges’ questions.
    — Tom Winter, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of encourage
Verb
  • Serra then analogizes the spatial mediation stimulated by Shift to a verbal operation.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • For hair loss, technicians lean on products and massages that stimulate blood flow.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of stimulate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

fires (up)
fire (up)
firewater
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Cite this Entry

“Fire (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fire%20%28up%29. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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