pour gasoline on the fire
Synonym of add fuel to the fire.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Don't argue with him, you will only pour gasoline on the fire.”
“The manager tried to calm the angry customer, but his rude comments only poured gasoline on the fire.”
“By publicly criticizing the protesters instead of listening to their concerns, the mayor effectively poured gasoline on the fire of the growing social unrest.”
- 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
catch fire
To become engulfed in flames, to combust.
- 04
draw fire
To create a distraction that allows one's friends, co-workers, or other associates to gain an advantage over the distracted party.
- 05
escape fire
An unconventional or counterintuitive solution to a difficult problem.
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feed the fire
Synonym of add fuel to the fire.
- 07
fight fire with fire
To respond to an attack with a similar or identical counter-attack (e.g. to respond to gunfire with reciprocal gunfire).
- 08
fight fires
To deal with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than longer-term work.
Last updated August 10, 2026