fusillade

noun

fu·​sil·​lade ˈfyü-sə-ˌläd 

-ˌlād,

ˌfyü-sə-ˈläd,

-ˈlād,

-zə-

1

a

: a number of shots fired simultaneously or in rapid succession

b

: something that gives the effect of a fusillade

a fusillade of rocks and bottles

2

: a spirited outburst especially of criticism

Synonyms

• barrage
• blitz
• blitzkrieg
• bombardment
• cannonade
• drumbeat
• drumfire
• flurry
• hail
• salvo
• shower
• storm
• volley

Examples of fusillade in a Sentence

A fusillade of bullets filled the courtyard.

responded calmly to the fusillade of criticism leveled at his design for the memorial

Recent Examples on the Web

Moldy pasta and sauce at a Broward gas station cafeteria A fusillade of Stop Sales hit the food in the sushi station refrigerator, where food needed to be at or below 41 degrees to keep away bacteria breeding grounds. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2025

Image Image Image Since taking office less than a month ago, Mr. Trump has launched a fusillade of trade actions, including an order on Thursday for his advisers to come up with new tariff levels that take into account a range of trade barriers. —Keith Bradsher, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025

That Donald Trump’s first-day fusillade of executive orders included the declaration of a national energy emergency wasn’t all that shocking given his intensity level on everything from birthright citizenship to mass deportation. —Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 12 Feb. 2025

Beijing responded swiftly on Tuesday to the tariffs President Trump had promised, announcing a fusillade of countermeasures targeting American companies and imports of critical products. —Ana Swanson, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from fusiller "to shoot with a musket volley" (from fusil fusil entry 2 + -iller, causative prefix, going back to Latin -iculāre, derivative of -iculum, instrumental and diminutive suffix) + -ade -ade

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for fusillade

• accolade
• ambuscade
• antegrade
• balustrade
• barricade
• cannonade
• cavalcade
• centigrade
• chambermaid
• colonnade
• countertrade
• disobeyed

Kids Definition

fusillade

noun

fu·​sil·​lade ˈfyü-sə-ˌläd 

-ˌlād,

-zə-;

ˌfyü-sə-ˈläd,

-ˈlād,

-zə-

1

: a number of shots fired at the same time or rapidly one after another

2

: something like a fusillade of shots

a fusillade of rocks

3

: an outburst especially of criticism