How to Use return fire in a Sentence

return fire

noun

• When the ships were about half a mile apart, the Kearsarge’s captain, John Winslow, ordered Pease and the other gunners in his crew to return fire.
  — James Hagengruber, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 June 2023
• In the other two, an officer was wounded and unable to return fire.
  — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2023
• Sirens wail and gunshots pop in rapid succession in the background of the five-minute livestream as the two officers try to shield themselves behind the car and return fire.
  — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 3 May 2024
• The officer did not return fire, police said, because the streets were packed with pedestrians.
  — Rob Frehse, CNN, 10 Feb. 2024
• Officers did not return fire and the suspect was arrested, White said.
  — Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 19 Mar. 2024
• Rougeau managed to return fire, killing Stine, according to police.
  — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 18 June 2023
• But the Ukrainian artillery team positioned to return fire was unfazed.
  — Michael Schwirtz David Guttenfelder, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2023
• An armed security guard was present at the restaurant when the shooting took place, and did return fire when the shooting occurred, according to Woodfork.
  — Jay Croft, CNN, 29 Apr. 2023
• According to the state’s attorney, the video shows the officers firing their weapons before taking return fire.
  — Jennifer Henderson, CNN, 29 Sep. 2023
• Prosecutors said police did not return fire at any point.
  — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 21 May 2024
• As more responding officers attempted to go up the lobby stairs and rescue the wounded Wilt, the suspect opened fire on them, prompting them to return fire.
  — Faris Tanyos, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2023
• We are forced to return fire at military facilities in the border regions!
  — Christian Edwards, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024
• Two officers return fire, hitting the shooter. 10:27 a.m. Police confirm the shooter is dead.
  — George Petras, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2023
• Murphy also managed to shoot Jensen before he was killed by officers’ return fire, police said.
  — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2024
• Shortly thereafter, Curtis can be seen firing at least once at the officers before the officers return fire.
  — Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 20 Apr. 2023
• This strategy was employed by SWAT to return fire, retreat from the residence, and deploy nonlethal options.
  — The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2024
• The Ukrainians only return fire if Russian forces advance and expose themselves, says the local commander, called Vladyslav.
  — Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Mar. 2023
• The Mayor’s political instinct when under attack is to return fire.
  — Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2023
• By Israel’s account, the destruction began after Hamas gunmen refused to surrender and started shooting at the Israeli forces, prompting them to return fire.
  — Patrick Kingsley Avishag Shaar-Yashuv, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
• In another sensitive development, the Israeli military reported a rare attack near the Israel-Gaza border, saying a squad of Palestinian fighters killed a soldier and three of them were killed in return fire.
  — Nidal Al-Mughrabi and James MacKenzie, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 June 2024
• Incidents were excluded from the total if no officers fired a bullet that struck someone, such as accidental discharges with no injuries or the few cases in which officers did not return fire after a suspect fired.
  — Adiel Kaplan, NBC News, 8 Dec. 2023
• As missile submarines, their primary mission was to remain undetected, but if forced into a fight with a Soviet submarine, a missile boat had to retain the ability to return fire and destroy its attacker.
  — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 1 May 2023
• Philippine Marines return fire, causing casualties, and Philippine warplanes damage a Chinese Type 071 amphibious landing dock.
  — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 1 Sep. 2023
• In another sensitive development, the Israeli military reported a rare attack near the Israel-Gaza border, saying a squad of Palestinian fighters killed a soldier, while three militants were killed in return fire.
  — Nidal Al-Mughrabi and James MacKenzie, USA TODAY, 6 June 2024
• Never allow anyone to chase a suspect forward of the subject vehicle—the officer may be ambushed by someone still in the vehicle, and fellow officers cannot return fire without endangering the pursuing officer.
  — USA TODAY, 15 Aug. 2023
• Money that could be used to establish a prosperous economy is instead diverted to purchasing weapons and missile components, fired from civilian homes, hospitals, and schools to maximize casualties if the Israelis return fire.
  — Douglas J. Feith, National Review, 24 Oct. 2023

Last Updated: 9 Oct 2024