return fire

noun

: the firing of a weapon to counter a shooter's shot
The suspect started shooting and was wounded by the return fire of the police.

Examples of return fire in a Sentence

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Mathews was not injured in the gunfire exchange, but Mattai's return fire hit Mathews' vehicle at least four times. — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026 The commission has already voted to return fire rescue operations to the county. — Ted Scouten, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 The wounded officer was not able to return fire during the encounter, police said. — Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2026 The return fire drove the shooter from the drive-through, toward an open parking lot at the city’s visitor center. — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for return fire

Rhymes for return fire

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Browse Nearby Words

returner
return fire
return game
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Cite this Entry

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

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