fires (up)

verb

present tense third-person singular of fire (up)
as in encourages
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 fires (up)
  1. encourages
  2. provokes
  3. stimulates
Verb
  • There is an agency in charge of enforcing the rules with the objective of putting guardrails around a spending spree exacerbated by a transfer portal that encourages players to seek better offers from different schools.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Painting outdoors offers a slower, more immersive experience that encourages observation, patience, and connection with nature.
    — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of encourages
Verb
  • The film starts in nature, and the whole experience provokes ideas and inspires something closer to poetry than nostalgia.
    — Jesse Kirshbaum, SPIN, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Homer, the enigmatic poet, still provokes and inspires us all.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of provokes
Verb
  • Repeatedly loading the muscles stimulates them to grow bigger and stronger in order to adapt to the demands placed on them.
    — Jenessa Connor, HEALTH, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Deadheading daisies helps maintain a tidy appearance, stimulates new growth, and encourages prolific blooms.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of stimulates
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

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

“Fires (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fires%20%28up%29. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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