How to Use light a fire under (someone) in a Sentence

light a fire under (someone)

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• Bill O’Brien does not need to light a fire under Mac Jones.
  — Jim McBride, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Jan. 2023
• But that didn’t mean the fan favorite couldn’t try to light a fire under some butts on his way out the door.
  — Dalton Ross, EW.com, 4 Sep. 2020
• The walk to the beach takes around 15 minutes, and the sight of the ocean ahead, in a dip between two green hills, will light a fire under anybody.
  — Jo Rodgers, Vogue, 3 May 2024
• But the scale of the FTX collapse is likely to light a fire under regulators around the world.
  — WIRED, 18 Nov. 2022
• And that will light a fire under emerging-market bonds.
  — Brett Owens, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
• Perhaps, then, this new paper will light a fire under the field of fire science.
  — Matt Simon, Wired, 17 Dec. 2020
• And that's not even including the saintly mamas who have died to light a fire under their sons (hi, Thor and Shang-Chi).
  — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 13 July 2022
• As Faris notes, this was exactly what Democrats needed to light a fire under their base.
  — Ryan Cooper, The Week, 16 Sep. 2021
• Just a taste of a what a strike can feel like can light a fire under negotiations.
  — Chris Isidore, CNN, 25 Mar. 2023
• Otherwise, its effort to light a fire under HBO Max could leave scorch marks.
  — Dan Gallagher, WSJ, 19 Dec. 2020
• While Ellis’s ensemble doesn’t lag behind the play, neither are they quite pushed to light a fire under it.
  — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 8 Mar. 2024
• To say these are the kinds of shows that will light a fire under you in the kitchen would be an overstatement bordering on condescension for many of us.
  — Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2021
• The promise of sotatercept has helped light a fire under Acceleron’s shares in the past couple of years and swelled its market value.
  — Ben Dummett, WSJ, 27 Sep. 2021
• Minnifield and Dixon wanted to light a fire under their defense.
  — Terry Pluto, cleveland, 3 Dec. 2021
• Hence, more people will be watching as the team continues to progress, so Stam and Co. still have time to light a fire under this fan base and build momentum for 2021.
  — Pat Brennan, The Enquirer, 8 Sep. 2020
• Gruden may be praising Mariota as a way to light a fire under Carr.
  — oregonlive, 15 Aug. 2020
• Pitino drew criticism for his post-game tirade but has since claimed it was measured, intended to light a fire under his players.
  — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 12 Mar. 2024
• There’s no telling what’s to come, but Baylor fans should be thrilled that Aranda was able to pull this off and light a fire under Shapen following a disappointing season.
  — Michael Haag, Dallas News, 11 Jan. 2023
• Atlanta badly needed a power hitter, someone who could light a fire under the offense.
  — Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY, 21 July 2023
• Garrett was undoubtedly trying to light a fire under his teammates as well as himself.
  — Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland, 27 Sep. 2021
• That has the odds-makers favoring Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but divisional rivalries sometimes light a fire under the underdogs.
  — Bychris Morris, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2023
• The stunning decision by Biles should light a fire under sports organizations to do a better job of helping athletes with burnout and mental health issues.
  — Editorial Board, Star Tribune, 28 July 2021
• While managing the slow burn of the end of James’ career, Ham will also have to find a way to light a fire under Davis, who is constantly beset by nagging injuries compounded by a lack of personal resilience.
  — Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2022
• Cox plan to light a fire under unemployed Utahns by nixing benefits is merely smoldering.
  — Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, 5 Aug. 2021
• Musk may have felt this warning would light a fire under employees and engage their entrepreneurial thinking.
  — Lynne Curry | Alaska Workplace, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Nov. 2022
• Among our list of travel memoirs written by some of the world's most adventurous women (more on that here), Tabei's is one that will surely light a fire under anyone debating spending more time outdoors.
  — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 June 2022
• Initially, a Trump election could provide a short-term boost to stock prices in the immediate aftermath, as a corporate tax cut could once again light a fire under corporate share buybacks.
  — Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2024
• Musk acknowledged helping hire lawyers to shepherd the acquisition through board confirmation and holding weekly meetings to light a fire under the due-diligence process.
  — BostonGlobe.com, 16 Aug. 2021
• Conferences provide great potential for business professionals to light a fire under their careers.
  — John Hall, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
• Primary elections rarely light a fire under most California voters.
  — John Myers, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2022

Last Updated: 4 Mar 2025