friendly fire
noun
: the firing of weapons from one's own forces or those of an ally especially when resulting in the accidental death or injury of one's own personnel
Near the river bordering our camp I find the tents of the four soldiers who were supposedly hit by friendly fire.—
Janine Di Giovanni
Janine Di GiovanniAfter all, accidental attacks, though tragic, are common in war. In 1967 alone, "friendly fire" killed 5,373 Americans fighting in Vietnam.—Michael Oren
Michael OrenExamples of friendly fire in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Other Ukrainian officials suggested that the F-16 may have been accidentally hit by one of Ukraine's Patriot air defense systems in a friendly fire incident.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
The friendly fire incident underscores how dangerous the Red Sea has become amid the ongoing attacks, the AP noted.
—Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 22 Dec. 2024
It was reported that the language barrier had led to a misunderstanding in which Chechen soldiers fighting for Russia were killed in friendly fire.
—Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
In one friendly fire incident, the GUR said confused North Korean troops opened fire on Chechen vehicles, killing eight fighters.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2024
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David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
The friendly fire incident underscores how dangerous the Red Sea has become amid the ongoing attacks, the AP noted.
—Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 22 Dec. 2024
It was reported that the language barrier had led to a misunderstanding in which Chechen soldiers fighting for Russia were killed in friendly fire.
—Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
In one friendly fire incident, the GUR said confused North Korean troops opened fire on Chechen vehicles, killing eight fighters.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for friendly fire
Dictionary Entries Near friendly fire
Cite this Entry
“Friendly fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/friendly%20fire. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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