Meaning & Origin
“Add fuel to the fire” means to worsen a tense situation — actions or comments that inflame emotions or escalate a problem. The image is literal: adding fuel makes a flame grow; figuratively, it makes trouble spread.
Pronunciation Guide
- add — short “a,” like “cat.”
- fuel — sounds like “fyoo‑uhl.”
- fire — two sounds: “fye‑er.”
- Natural rhythm: add FUEL to the FIRE.
Usage & Sentence Examples
Use it when a response makes things worse instead of better.
- Arguing on social media will add fuel to the fire.
- Leaking the email chain only added fuel to the fire.
- Price hikes right now would add fuel to the fire with users.
- Blaming support would add fuel to the fire — align privately first.
- Speculation without facts adds fuel to the fire during incidents.
- Her sarcastic reply added fuel to the fire in the meeting.
Synonyms
make matters worse · fan the flames · pour fuel on the fire · inflame the situation · escalate · stir the pot
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