Firing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈfī-riŋ/ fir·ing

Meaning & Definition of Firing

Firing (noun)

  1. the act or process of one that fires
  2. the process of maturing ceramic products by the application of heat

Firing (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a directed propelling of a missile by a firearm or artillery piece

    "found a flaw in the gun's firing"

    similar: blasting, discharge, shot
    related: potshot, barrage, blitz, blitzkrieg, bombardment, broadside, burst, cannonade, drumfire, fusillade, hail, salvo, shower, storm, volley

Firing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force

    "police officers firing rubber bullets"

    similar: blasting, discharging, loosing, shooting, squeezing off
    related: launching, projecting, blazing (at), sniping (at), casting, catapulting, flinging, heaving, hurling, hurtling, lobbing, pelting, pitching, slinging, throwing, tossing

  2. to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force

    "soldiers fired at the enemy in panic-stricken disorder"

    similar: blasting, discharging, shooting
    related: blazing, peppering, plinking, potshotting, sniping

  3. to give life, vigor, or spirit to

    "a school outing to the natural history museum fired his imagination, and he grew up to become an eminent paleontologist"

    similar: amping (up), animating, bracing, energizing, enlivening, filliping, gingering (up), invigorating, jazzing (up), juicing up, jump-starting, livening (up), pepping (up), quickening, spiking, stimulating, vitalizing, vivifying, zipping (up)
    related: arousing, awakening, awaking, raising, rousing, stirring, waking (up), activating, actuating, driving, impelling, motivating, motiving, moving, propelling, charging, electrifying, galvanizing, enkindling, exciting, fermenting, fomenting, inciting, inflaming, instigating, kindling, provoking, setting off, sparking, triggering, turning on, whipping (up), abetting, boosting, buoying, cheering, emboldening, fortifying, heartening, infusing, inspiring, lifting, rallying, steeling, strengthening, reactivating, reanimating, reawakening, reawaking, recharging, recreating, reenergizing, refreshening, refreshing, regenerating, reinvigorating, rejuvenating, rekindling, renewing, restimulating, resurrecting, resuscitating, revitalizing, reviving
    opposite: dampening, damping, deadening, dulling, killing
    near: burning out, debilitating, doing in, draining, enervating, enfeebling, exhausting, fagging, fatiguing, harassing, kayoing, knocking out, sapping, tuckering (out), undermining, washing out, weakening, wearing, wearing out, wearying, checking, curbing, inhibiting, jading, quelling, quenching, repressing, restraining, slowing, stilling, stunting, suppressing, daunting, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting

  4. to let go from office, service, or employment

    "fired the secretary for incompetence"

    similar: axing, bouncing, canning, cashiering, discharging, dismissing, mustering out, pink-slipping, releasing, removing, retiring, sacking, terminating, turning off, sending packing, showing (someone) the door
    related: downsizing, excessing, furloughing, laying off, trimming, booting (out), chucking (out), drumming (out), kicking out, throwing out, unseating, separating
    opposite: employing, engaging, hiring, retaining, signing (up or on), taking on
    near: keeping, reemploying, rehiring, contracting, subcontracting, recruiting

  5. to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm

    "fired a pass to the running back"

    similar: casting, catapulting, chucking, dashing, flinging, heaving, hurling, hurtling, launching, lobbing, lofting, pegging, pelting, pitching, slinging, throwing, tossing, letting fly
    related: bowling, darting, flipping, gunning, hooking, passing, rolling, shooting, bucking, ejecting, impelling, precipitating, projecting, propelling, rifling, thrusting

  6. to set (something) on fire

    "lit some kindling before attempting to fire the logs"

    similar: burning, enkindling, igniting, inflaming, kindling, lighting, torching
    related: immolating, deflagrating, charring, frizzling, scorching, baking, broiling, cooking, ashing, cremating, incinerating, kilning, setting off, brightening, illuminating, illumining, irradiating, lightening, radiating, scalding, scathing, searing, reigniting, rekindling, relighting, banking, stoking
    opposite: dousing, extinguishing, putting out, quenching, snuffing (out)
    near: choking, smothering, suffocating, stamping (out), blackening, darkening, dimming, dulling, obscuring

Related Entry: Fire (verb)

Fire is a different word from Firing. The synonyms below are for fire, not for firing.

  1. to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force

    "police officers firing rubber bullets"

    similar: blast, discharge, loose, shoot, squeeze off
    related: launch, project, blaze (at), snipe (at), cast, catapult, fling, heave, hurl, hurtle, lob, pelt, pitch, sling, throw, toss

  2. to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force

    "soldiers fired at the enemy in panic-stricken disorder"

    similar: blast, discharge, shoot
    related: blaze, pepper, plink, potshot, snipe

  3. to give life, vigor, or spirit to

    "a school outing to the natural history museum fired his imagination, and he grew up to become an eminent paleontologist"

    similar: amp (up), animate, brace, energize, enliven, fillip, ginger (up), invigorate, jazz (up), juice up, jump-start, liven (up), pep (up), quicken, spike, stimulate, vitalize, vivify, zip (up)
    related: arouse, awake, awaken, raise, rouse, stir, wake (up), activate, actuate, drive, impel, motivate, motive, move, propel, charge, electrify, galvanize, enkindle, excite, ferment, foment, incite, inflame, instigate, kindle, provoke, set off, spark, trigger, turn on, whip (up), abet, boost, buoy, cheer, embolden, fortify, hearten, infuse, inspire, lift, rally, steel, strengthen, reactivate, reanimate, reawake, reawaken, recharge, recreate, reenergize, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, rekindle, renew, restimulate, resurrect, resuscitate, revitalize, revive
    opposite: damp, dampen, deaden, dull, kill
    near: burn out, debilitate, do in, drain, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, fag, fatigue, harass, kayo, knock out, sap, tucker (out), undermine, wash out, weaken, wear, wear out, weary, check, curb, inhibit, jade, quell, quench, repress, restrain, slow, still, stunt, suppress, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit

  4. to let go from office, service, or employment

    "fired the secretary for incompetence"

    similar: ax, bounce, can, cashier, discharge, dismiss, muster out, pink-slip, release, remove, retire, sack, terminate, turn off, send packing, show (someone) the door
    related: downsize, excess, furlough, lay off, trim, boot (out), chuck (out), drum (out), kick out, throw out, unseat, separate
    opposite: employ, engage, hire, retain, sign (up or on), take on
    near: keep, reemploy, rehire, contract, subcontract, recruit

  5. to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm

    "fired a pass to the running back"

    similar: cast, catapult, chuck, dash, fling, heave, hurl, hurtle, launch, lob, loft, peg, pelt, pitch, sling, throw, toss, let fly
    related: bowl, dart, flip, gun, hook, pass, roll, shoot, buck, eject, impel, precipitate, project, propel, rifle, thrust

  6. to set (something) on fire

    "lit some kindling before attempting to fire the logs"

    similar: burn, enkindle, ignite, inflame, kindle, light, torch
    related: immolate, deflagrate, char, frizzle, scorch, bake, broil, cook, ash, cremate, incinerate, kiln, set off, brighten, illuminate, illumine, irradiate, lighten, radiate, scald, scathe, sear, reignite, rekindle, relight, bank, stoke
    opposite: douse, extinguish, put out, quench, snuff (out)
    near: choke, smother, suffocate, stamp (out), blacken, darken, dim, dull, obscure

Related Entry: Fire (up) (verb)

Fire (up) is a different word from Firing. The synonyms below are for fire (up), not for firing.

  1. to rouse to strong feeling or action

    "the dynamic speaker fired up the audience as no one had previously done"

    similar: arouse, encourage, excite, impassion, incite, instigate, move, pique, provoke, rev (up), spark, stimulate, stir, build a fire under
    related: fan, ignite, inflame, kindle, trigger, activate, animate, drive, energize, galvanize, induce, inspire, key (up), motivate, motive, pump up, quicken, set off, vitalize, abet, ferment, foment, raise, whip (up), anger, enrage, madden, upset, jeer, taunt, tease, aggravate, annoy, bother, exasperate, gall, get, irritate, vex
    near: calm, soothe, subdue, tranquilize, appease, mollify, pacify, placate

Related Entry: Firing (at) (verb)

Firing (at) is a different word from Firing. The synonyms below are for firing (at), not for firing.

  1. as in blasting (at)

    similar: blasting (at), blazing, peppering, potshotting, sniping (at), pistoling, shotgunning, blowing away, bringing down, dropping, picking off, shooting down, machine-gunning, tommy-gunning, drilling, gunning, plugging, popping, shooting, croaking (slang), destroying, dispatching, doing in, felling, icing (slang), killing, slaying, annihilating, blotting out, butchering, decimating, massacring, slaughtering, wiping out

Related Entry: Firing squad (noun)

Firing squad is a different word from Firing. The synonyms below are for firing squad, not for firing.

  1. as in patrol, rear guard

    similar: commando, outpost, paratroops, patrol, picket, rear guard, sentry, watch, detachment, detail, battalion, command, company, corps, division, platoon, regiment, squad, squadron, troop, wing

Related Entry: Firing squads (noun)

Firing squads is a different word from Firing. The synonyms below are for firing squads, not for firing.

  1. as in patrols, rear guards

    similar: commandos, outposts, paratroops, patrols, pickets, rear guards, sentries, watches, detachments, details, battalions, commands, companies, corps, divisions, platoons, regiments, squadrons, squads, troops, wings

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Firing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Firing:

blasting, discharge, shot, discharging, loosing, shooting, squeezing off, amping (up), animating, bracing, energizing, enlivening, filliping, gingering (up), invigorating, jazzing (up), juicing up, jump-starting, livening (up), pepping (up), quickening, spiking, stimulating, vitalizing, vivifying, zipping (up), axing, bouncing, canning, cashiering, dismissing, mustering out, pink-slipping, releasing, removing, retiring, sacking, terminating, turning off, casting

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Firing

Words with the opposite meaning of Firing:

dampening, damping, deadening, dulling, killing, employing, engaging, hiring, retaining, signing (up or on), taking on, dousing, extinguishing, putting out, quenching, snuffing (out)

Related Words for Firing

potshot, barrage, blitz, blitzkrieg, bombardment, broadside, burst, cannonade, drumfire, fusillade, hail, salvo, shower, storm, volley, projecting, blazing (at), sniping (at), blazing, peppering, plinking, potshotting, sniping, arousing, awakening, awaking, raising, rousing, stirring, waking (up)

Near Antonyms of Firing

burning out, debilitating, doing in, draining, enervating, enfeebling, exhausting, fagging, fatiguing, harassing, kayoing, knocking out, sapping, tuckering (out), undermining, washing out, weakening, wearing, wearing out, wearying, checking, curbing, inhibiting, jading, quelling, repressing, restraining, slowing, stilling, stunting

Origin & Etymology of Firing

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Firing

firing line, firing pin, firing range, firing squad, in the firing line, on the firing line

Frequently Asked Questions about Firing

What does "Firing" mean?

"Firing" means the act or process of one that fires. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the act or process of one that fires. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Firing"?

Other words for "Firing" include blasting, discharge, shot, discharging, loosing, shooting, squeezing off and amping (up). The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Firing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Firing"?

There are 199 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Firing". Common alternatives include blasting, discharge, shot, discharging, loosing, shooting, squeezing off, amping (up), animating and bracing.

What is the opposite of "Firing"?

Antonyms of "Firing" include dampening, damping, deadening, dulling, killing, employing, engaging and hiring. Near antonyms include burning out, debilitating, doing in and draining.

How do you use "Firing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Firing" in a sentence: "found a flaw in the gun's firing"; "police officers firing rubber bullets"; "soldiers fired at the enemy in panic-stricken disorder".

Is "Firing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Firing" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Firing"?

"Firing" is pronounced /ˈfī-riŋ/ and divided into syllables as fir·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Firing"?

First known use: 14th century.