barrage of fire

USAGE SUMMARY

"barrage of fire" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is often used in a military or war context to describe a heavy and continuous attack using weapons, specifically firearms. Example: The enemy troops were caught off guard by the sudden barrage of fire from our artillery units.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

It has two attacks: A barrage of Fire shards and a Fire shockwave.

WikiHow

We returned a tremendous barrage of fire and began to withdraw, continuing to fire.

The New Yorker

It's like being in the army, facing a barrage of fire every day.

The New York Times - Magazine

We returned a tremendous barrage of fire and began to withdraw".

The New York Times - Books

They responded with a barrage of fire at Abu Sneina, the hilltop Palestinian neighborhood that the settlers want to seize.

The New York Times

Stone cut his teeth with Nixon, loved Roy Cohn, works with Trump, advised Sharpton and has laid a barrage of fire into Eliot Spitzer.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

Under a barrage of firing, the Belgian soldiers stationed there managed to hold back the invading troops and protect the city for 11 days.

Independent

At the same time, Gaza militants continued their barrage of rocket fire, firing more than two dozen at Israel on Sunday, including a longer-distance projectile that targeted Tel Aviv for a fourth straight day.

Huffington Post

© UNICEF/NYHQ2006-1461/Giacomo Philippinesilippines 2006) A child's drawing depicts a man firing a machine gun amid a barrage of mortar fire, bombs and helicopters.

Unicef

Hamas unleashed a barrage of rocket fire after issuing a rare warning that it planned to fire at the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.

The Guardian

He saw an "unprecedented level of bombardment coming from the scene accompanied by several salvos of rockets being fired form parts of Gaza, then a sustained barrage of tracer fire".

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "barrage of fire" to vividly describe intense attacks in military or action-oriented writing. This phrase effectively conveys the overwhelming and continuous nature of the assault.

Common error

While "barrage of fire" is powerful, using it metaphorically outside conflict scenarios can sound melodramatic. Choose more appropriate descriptors for non-violent situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barrage of fire" functions primarily as a noun phrase, acting as the subject or object of a sentence to describe an intense military attack. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically correct and appropriate for use in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

82%

Wiki

12%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "barrage of fire" effectively describes an intense and overwhelming attack, primarily in military or conflict settings. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically sound and suitable for written English. It's a common term found in news reports and historical accounts, but should be used judiciously in non-conflict contexts to avoid melodrama. Related phrases like "torrent of gunfire" or "hail of bullets" offer nuanced alternatives, depending on the specific imagery you want to evoke. The frequency analysis further validates its presence predominantly in "News & Media" sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

torrent of gunfire

Emphasizes continuous and heavy fire, with a stronger implication of rapid succession.

hail of bullets

Implies a dense and overwhelming shower of projectiles, focusing on individual impacts.

onslaught of projectiles

Highlights the aggressive and forceful nature of the attack with emphasis on objects trajectory.

fusillade of shots

Suggests a rapid and simultaneous discharge of firearms from multiple sources.

heavy bombardment

Focuses on the continuous and concentrated artillery or aerial attacks.

intense shelling

Implies the use of artillery to create a barrage of fire.

artillery barrage

Specifically describes continuous fire from artillery weapons.

a storm of lead

Metaphorical expression indicating a dangerous situation with bullets.

a hail of steel

Emphasizes a brutal and heavy barrage.

volley of shots

Implies simultaneous firing of many weapons.

FAQs

How is "barrage of fire" typically used in a sentence?

The phrase "barrage of fire" is typically used to describe a sudden and intense burst of gunfire or artillery shelling, often in a military or conflict context. For example, "The troops faced a relentless barrage of fire from the enemy."

What are some alternatives to "barrage of fire"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "torrent of gunfire", "hail of bullets", or "onslaught of projectiles" to describe intense and overwhelming attacks.

Is "barrage of fire" a formal or informal expression?

The phrase "barrage of fire" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although it is most commonly found in news reports, historical accounts, or fictional narratives describing conflict situations.

What distinguishes "barrage of fire" from other terms like "crossfire"?

"Barrage of fire" describes a continuous and heavy stream of projectiles directed at a specific area, whereas "crossfire" refers to gunfire coming from two or more directions, creating a zone of intersecting trajectories. They describe different aspects of a firing situation.