English Reference
Noun

firefighting

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈfaɪɹˌfaɪtɪŋ/ UK /fˈaɪəfaɪtɪŋ/ fire·fight·ing

n.the work of putting out fires and saving people from them. It can also describe the act of dealing with a sudden, large problem quickly.

n.the activity of extinguishing fires and rescuing people from burning buildings. In a figurative sense, it refers to the rapid response to a sudden crisis or problem.


SIMPLE

Firefighting requires a lot of physical strength and quick thinking.

CONTEXTUAL

The city invested in better firefighting equipment to protect the historic downtown area from potential blazes.

COMPLEX

Effective firefighting in a corporate environment requires not only immediate action to suppress the crisis but also a long-term strategy to prevent similar issues from arising in the future.

Usage firefighting efforts · firefighting helicopter

Tucakovic called in firefighting teams from other parts of the country to reinforce crews already at the scene, while four Canadair water-bombing aircraft were on standby to assist operations.

The Local· 14 Aug 2026

Yiari is seeking funds for more firefighting equipment.

The Guardian· 14 Aug 2026

Common in science writing


From fire + fighting.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated