What does "firing" mean?
The process of applying heat or fire, especially to clay, etc., to produce pottery.
Firing
/ˈfaɪ.əɹ.ɪŋ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The process of applying heat or fire, especially to clay, etc., to produce pottery.
- Grammar: firing is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: discharge, dismissal, fire, sack.
- Useful contrasts: cease firing, cocking, cooling.
- Usage evidence: The scandal could lead to the firing of some senior officials.
How to use "firing"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "firing" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "firing" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "firing" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "firing" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "firing" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "discharge" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "firing", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The process of applying heat or fire, especially to clay, etc., to produce pottery. countable, uncountable
"After the pots have been glazed, they go back into the kiln for a second firing."
- 2 the act of discharging a gun wordnet
- 3 The fuel for a fire. countable, uncountable
"No more dams I’ll make for fish; Nor fetch in firing At requiring […]"
- 4 the termination of someone's employment (leaving them free to depart) wordnet
- 5 The act of adding fuel to a fire. countable, uncountable
"One driver told him that a fireman who did not know the route might easily go "over the side" between Corby and Harringworth, unless warned beforehand of the reverse curves; he himself, in his firing days, used to try so to plan his firing that it was unnecessary to add any more coal while passing over this stretch at speed."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 the act of setting something on fire wordnet
- 7 The discharge of a gun or other weapon. countable, uncountable
"[…] they fir’d several Times, making other Signals for the Boat. At last, when all their Signals and Firings prov’d fruitless, and they found the Boat did not stir, we saw them by the Help of my Glasses, hoist another Boat out, and row towards the Shore […]"
- 8 the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy wordnet
- 9 The dismissal of someone from a job due to poor work performance. countable, uncountable
"Even the most seasoned analysts of British politics were struck by the brutality of Ms. May’s hirings and firings."
- 10 Cauterization. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 present participle and gerund of fire form-of, gerund, participle, present
Example
"The scandal could lead to the firing of some senior officials."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "firing"?
Common synonyms include: discharge, dismissal, fire, sack, sacking, afflatus.
How do you use "firing" in a sentence?
The scandal could lead to the firing of some senior officials.
How do you pronounce "firing"?
Pronounced /ˈfaɪ.əɹ.ɪŋ/.
Etymology
By surface analysis, fire + -ing.