Phrase guide

add fuel to the fire

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To worsen a conflict between people; to inflame an already tense situation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Instead of apologizing to his girlfriend, he decided to add fuel to the fire.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: add insult to injury, fan the flames, add fuel to the flame, pour gasoline on the fire, throw gasoline on the fire, throw gas on the fire, add fuel to the fire, cap it all off, make matters worse, With malice, hit someone when they are down, kick a dog when it's down, kick someone when they are down, punch down, put the boot in, rub it in, rub salt in the wound, strike someone when they are down, twist the knife

Antonyms: pour oil on troubled waters, clear the air

2

verb

Meaning 2

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see add, fuel, fire.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

52 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: صَبَّ اَلزَّيْت عَلَى اَلنَّار (ṣabba z-zayt ʕalā n-nār) — worsen a conflict
  • Arabic: زَادَ اَلنَّار حَطَباً (zāda n-nār ḥaṭaban) — worsen a conflict
  • Catalan: afegir llenya al foc — worsen a conflict
  • Chinese Cantonese: 火上加油 (fo2 soeng6 gaa1 jau4) — worsen a conflict
  • Chinese Mandarin: 火上澆油 /火上浇油 (huǒshàngjiāoyóu) — worsen a conflict
  • Chinese Mandarin: 火上加油 (huǒshàngjiāyóu) — worsen a conflict
  • Czech: přilít olej do ohně — worsen a conflict
  • Danish: puste til ilden — worsen a conflict
  • Danish: hælde benzin på bålet — worsen a conflict
  • Dutch: olie op het vuur gooien — worsen a conflict
  • Dutch: opstoken — worsen a conflict
  • Estonian: õli tulle valama — worsen a conflict
  • Finnish: kaataa bensaa liekkeihin — worsen a conflict
  • Finnish: heittää löylyä kiukaalle — worsen a conflict
  • French: jeter de l'huile sur le feu — worsen a conflict
  • French: mettre de l'huile sur le feu — worsen a conflict
  • Georgian: ცეცხლზე ნავთის დასხმა (cecxlze navtis dasxma) — worsen a conflict
  • German: Öl ins Feuer gießen — worsen a conflict
  • Greek: ρίχνω λάδι στη φωτιά (ríchno ládi sti fotiá) — worsen a conflict
  • Greek: όλα του γάμου δύσκολα κι η νύφη γκαστρωμένη (óla tou gámou dýskola ki i nýfi gkastroméni) — worsen a conflict
  • Hebrew: הוֹסִיף שֶׁמֶן לַמְּדוּרָה (hosíf shémen lamm'durá) — worsen a conflict
  • Hindi: जलती आग में घी डालना (jaltī āg mẽ ghī ḍālnā) — worsen a conflict
  • Hungarian: olajat önt a tűzre — worsen a conflict
  • Icelandic: hella olíu á eldinn — worsen a conflict
  • Italian: aggiungere esca al fuoco — worsen a conflict
  • Italian: mettere benzina sul fuoco — worsen a conflict
  • Japanese: 鬼に金棒 (oni ni kanabō) — worsen a conflict
  • Malay: mencurah minyak ke api — worsen a conflict
  • Norwegian: helle bensin på bålet — worsen a conflict
  • Norwegian: puste til ilden — worsen a conflict
  • Polish: dolewać oliwy do ognia — worsen a conflict
  • Polish: dolać oliwy do ognia — worsen a conflict
  • Portuguese: pôr lenha na fogueira — worsen a conflict
  • Portuguese: colocar lenha na fogueira — worsen a conflict
  • Portuguese: deitar lenha na fogueira — worsen a conflict
  • Romanian: pune paie pe foc — worsen a conflict
  • Romanian: pune gaz pe foc — worsen a conflict
  • Romanian: turna ulei pe foc — worsen a conflict
  • Russian: подлива́ть ма́сло в ого́нь (podlivátʹ máslo v ogónʹ) — worsen a conflict
  • Serbo-Croatian: доливати уље на ватру — worsen a conflict
  • Serbo-Croatian: dolivati ulje na vatru — worsen a conflict
  • Spanish: echar leña al fuego — worsen a conflict
  • Spanish: echar gasolina al fuego — worsen a conflict
  • Spanish: ya escampa y llovían guijarros — worsen a conflict
  • Spanish: dar pábulo — worsen a conflict
  • Spanish: añadir lumbre al fuego — worsen a conflict
  • Swedish: hälla bensin på elden — worsen a conflict
  • Telugu: అగ్గి మీద గుగ్గిలము (aggi mīda guggilamu) — worsen a conflict
  • Turkish: ateşe körükle gitmek — worsen a conflict
  • Vietnamese: đổ dầu vào lửa — worsen a conflict
  • Vietnamese: đổ thêm dầu vào lửa — worsen a conflict
  • Vietnamese: thêm dầu vào lửa — worsen a conflict