Pyromaniac: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to describe a person who has an uncontrollable urge to set fires due to a mental condition.

• The psychiatrist diagnosed him as a pyromaniac.
• A pyromaniac typically sets fires to satisfy inner psychological needs.

Refers to someone who deliberately sets fires, usually to cause damage or for personal gain. Often used in legal or criminal contexts.

• The police arrested the arsonist shortly after the building caught fire.
• The insurance company suspected the fire was started by an arsonist to collect the payout.

An informal and somewhat less common term for someone who likes to set fires. Often has a more casual or even slightly playful connotation but can still imply criminal behavior.

• The community was on the lookout for the firebug causing trouble in the neighborhood.
• Neighbors suspected the teenager was a firebug due to his fascination with flames.

A term similar to 'arsonist', often used in British English to describe someone who sets fires intentionally. May have a slightly older or more formal tone.

• Villagers were wary of the fire raiser who had been seen near the forest.
• The court found the fire raiser guilty of starting multiple wildfires.