open fire

phrase

: to begin shooting
A man opened fire in a crowded mall.
—often + on
The soldiers opened fire on enemy troops.

Examples of open fire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Because the act that prompted the deputies to open fire was committed solely by the deceased suspect, Jianquan Bo could not be charged in connection with his brother’s death. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 Investigators are working to piece together two Chino Hills neighborhood crime scenes after a deadly kidnapping led deputies to open fire on a suspect, shooting and killing him. — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 30 July 2026 Finally, as Qiu and another tried opening the driver’s door, McAlpin allegedly reached for a pistol, prompting the officers to open fire on him. — Harry Harris, Mercury News, 17 July 2026 The Department of Homeland Security says Salgado Araujo tried to use his van as a weapon, prompting an agent to open fire. — Alina Hartounian, NPR, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for open fire

Rhymes for open fire

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Browse Nearby Words

open-file
open fire
open fire on
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Cite this Entry

“Open fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20fire. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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