firestorm
noun
fire·storm
ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌstȯrm 
1
: a very intense and destructive fire usually accompanied by high winds
The Rooses' house and gardens were obliterated in the 1991 Oakland firestorm.—
Craig Summers Black
Craig Summers Black
especially
: one that is started by attack with nuclear or incendiary weapons and that creates a powerful updraft which causes very strong inrushing winds to develop in the surrounding area
His goal was to create firestorms like the ones that had consumed Hamburg and Dresden, conflagrations so vast and intense that nothing could survive them … —David M. Kennedy
David M. Kennedy 2
a
: a sudden or violent outburst
a firestorm of public protest
b
: a raging controversy
a political firestorm
Synonyms
Examples of firestorm in a Sentence
The bombing left the city engulfed in a firestorm.
His proposal set off a political firestorm.
a firestorm of public protest
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump sought to distance himself from the comedian, but the firestorm continued.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
Following the media firestorm, Trump’s campaign distanced itself from the joke.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 30 Oct. 2024
Fact and Fiction in Gladiator II: Those Who Are About to Lie Salute You
Logo text
Remember when Ridley Scott’s 2023 biopic Napoleon set off a firestorm among finicky French historians?
—Benjamin Svetkey, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024
When Joker came out in 2019, it was greeted with a firestorm of controversy about its potential to instigate violence that verged on a moral panic.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for firestorm 
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Jared Gans, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
Following the media firestorm, Trump’s campaign distanced itself from the joke.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 30 Oct. 2024
Fact and Fiction in Gladiator II: Those Who Are About to Lie Salute You
Logo text
Remember when Ridley Scott’s 2023 biopic Napoleon set off a firestorm among finicky French historians?
—Benjamin Svetkey, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024
When Joker came out in 2019, it was greeted with a firestorm of controversy about its potential to instigate violence that verged on a moral panic.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for firestorm
Articles Related to firestorm
Dictionary Entries Near firestorm
Cite this Entry
“Firestorm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firestorm. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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