fire

Fire means excellent, amazing or really good. If a song, outfit or meal is fire, it’s top quality. Merriam-Webster calls it a general term of approval.

What makes something “fire”

Fire is one of the most flexible compliments in slang. A new album can be fire, a pair of sneakers can be fire, and so can a meme, a burger or a comeback. It often comes with the 🔥 emoji, or doubled for extra emphasis: “this is fire fire.”

You’ll also see the Southern spelling “fye” (said “fi-yuh”), which Dictionary.com links to African American English in the South.

Examples

• “That new track is fire.”
• “Your fit today? Fire.”
• “The tacos from that truck are straight fire.”
• “🔥🔥🔥” (as a reply to a photo)

Fire vs. lit vs. bussin

All three mean “great,” but they lean in different directions. Lit is about energy and excitement, like a party. Bussin is mostly about food. Fire works for almost anything.

Where fire comes from

Merriam-Webster dates the slang adjective to around 2005. Dictionary.com notes the related spelling “fye” appeared on Urban Dictionary in 2003 and appears to come from African American English in the South.

Related terms

• Slaps: really good, especially music.
• Goated: the best.
• Bussin: really good, especially food.
• Drip: stylish clothes.

See more in our Gen Z slang dictionary.