fire escape

noun

: a device for escape from a burning building
especially : a metal stairway attached to the outside of a building

Examples of fire escape in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Díaz's stepfather was able to get away through the outside fire escape. — Brian Brant, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026 Then looking out and seeing him like Starsky & Hutch jumping off a fire escape. — Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026 Jules ties together all her silky robes to scale the fire escape of her sugar daddy’s hideaway, armed with a hefty settlement to fund her art. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026 Electrical fire and multiple people assisted off of the fire escape. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 5 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for fire escape

Word History

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fire escape was in 1725

Rhymes for fire escape

See All Rhymes for fire escape

Browse Nearby Words

fire-engine red
fire escape
fire-exit bolt
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fire escape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fire%20escape. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fire escape

noun
: a stairway or ladder that provides a means of escape from a building in case of fire

More from Merriam-Webster on fire escape

Nglish: Translation of fire escape for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fire escape

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