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Under Fire for Dummies

adjective

pronunciation: 'əndər_faɪər

What does Under Fire really mean?

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Well, kiddo, the phrase "under fire" is quite an interesting one! It's often used to describe a situation when someone is being heavily criticized or facing a lot of intense pressure from many different directions. Imagine you're playing a game of dodgeball, and you're the last person standing on your team. Suddenly, all the players from the other team start throwing balls at you from every direction — that's what it feels like to be "under fire."

Let's break it down a bit further, shall we? On one hand, "under fire" can be taken quite literally, just like the dodgeball game. Think about when people are being shot at in a battle or war. Bullets and bombs are flying in their direction, meaning they are "under fire." But in more everyday situations, this phrase is used figuratively to describe when someone is facing heavy criticism, being bombarded with lots of negative comments, or feeling like they're constantly defending themselves.

For example, let's say you finished a school project, and instead of getting praised for your hard work, your classmates start criticizing every little detail. They might say your presentation was boring or that your research was sloppy. It would be like you're "under fire" because you're being bombarded with negative feedback from all sides.

Another way to think about it is if you're feeling overwhelmed or stressed out due to a lot of demands or expectations being placed on you. Imagine you're the captain of a ship, and everyone on board starts yelling at you to steer in different directions at the same time. It would create a chaotic and confusing situation for you, right? Well, that's what it means to be "under fire" in a metaphorical sense.

To sum it up, "under fire" means that someone is facing a lot of criticism, pressure, or intense stress from various sources, just like being in the middle of a battle or attempting to dodge countless dodgeballs from all directions. It's like facing a storm of negativity or demands that can make someone feel overwhelmed or constantly under attack.


Revised and Fact checked by Steven Jackson on 2023-10-29 21:37:08

Under Fire In a sentece

Learn how to use Under Fire inside a sentece

  • The politician was under fire for his controversial statements.
  • The company came under fire for its unethical business practices.
  • The new policy came under fire from both employees and customers.
  • The celebrity was under fire after posting inappropriate content on social media.
  • The coach came under fire for his poor decision-making during the game.

Under Fire Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

under attack

Under Fire Similar Words

Words that similar to the original word, but are not synonyms.

vulnerable