catch fire

phrase

Synonyms of catch firenext
1
: to become ignited
2
: to become fired with enthusiasm
3
: to increase greatly in scope, popularity, interest, or effectiveness
The idea failed to catch fire.

Examples of catch 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.
Castronovo made headlines last year when, during a concert at NRG Stadium, the stage caught fire. — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2026 Standard lithium batteries are limited by supply problems and have a risk of catching fire. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026 But OpenAI never rolled out its own classification engine until Jev showed up and caught fire among developers. — Wen Shao, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026 Officers rescued Childers and the teen as the vehicle caught fire. — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for catch fire

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of catch fire was in the 15th century

Rhymes for catch fire

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Browse Nearby Words

catcher pouch
catch fire
catchfly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Catch fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catch%20fire. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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