fight fires
To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I spend all day fighting fires at the office.”
“The manager could not finish the project because she spent the entire week fighting fires instead.”
“Instead of focusing on long-term strategy, the team spent their limited resources fighting fires caused by the sudden collapse of the supply chain.”
- 01
add fuel to the fire
To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation.
- 02
ball of fire
A person who is especially active, ambitious, hard-working, or high-achieving.
- 03
bun fight
A debate or disagreement, usually with several parties involved, often political in nature.
- 04
catch fire
To become engulfed in flames, to combust.
- 05
draw fire
To create a distraction that allows one's friends, co-workers, or other associates to gain an advantage over the distracted party.
- 06
escape fire
An unconventional or counterintuitive solution to a difficult problem.
- 07
feed the fire
Synonym of add fuel to the fire.
- 08
fight a losing battle
To attempt a task or other endeavor in which there is no chance that it will succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026