How to Respond to the Fire Emoji

Co-authored by John Keegan and Madeleine Flamiano

Last Updated: May 6, 2024 Fact Checked

Did someone just send a fire emoji, and now you’re trying to figure out how to even reply to it? That eye-catching symbol could just be a friendly compliment, but it could also mean someone is incredibly attracted to you. We’ll guide you through the different contexts of the fire emoji so you know what to say. You can fire back with a little joke, hit them up with a flirty comment, or tell them to cool down. We’ve got a ton of tips to spark your creativity. Read on and choose your favorites so you can shine on social media or over text.

1

Fight their fire emoji with more fire emojis.

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Create a scorching inferno of flirtiness to show you feel the same way. If they’ve turned up the heat and you like that, follow up with three fire emojis in a row (🔥🔥🔥). That expresses tons of excitement, and you’ll give the sender an ego boost. You’ll also broadcast a possible crush on social media so everyone can watch sparks fly. ^{[1]
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- “Right back ‘atcha. 🔥🔥🔥”
- “Whoa, how can anyone stand all the heat up in here? 🔥🔥🔥”
- “So, are you gonna slide into my DMs or what? 🔥🔥🔥”

2

Show appreciation with a heart eye emoji.

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Express lots of positivity to show you really dig the dynamic. If you just loved their praise, a heart eye emoji (😍) is as enthusiastic as it gets. Use it to say that their fire emoji was just the right move. If you want the convo to keep going in a flirty, passionate, or romantic direction, they’ll see those heart eyes as a sign and continue to woo you. Anyone following on social media will think they’ve stumbled on the first chapter of a promising connection. ^{[2]
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- If they sent the fire emoji on social media, now is a perfect chance to break the ice. You can say, ”OMG. 😍 DMing you my number.”
- You can also tell them if you’ve been waiting to get their attention. For example, you can reply: “😍 Aw, thank you! I’ve been secretly lurking your pics. 👀”
- You can even get a little more bold. You can say something like, “😍 I’m free Saturday! Take me out!”

3

Use a blush emoji.

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Admit that you’re flattered to say you notice the compliment. If someone tries to impress you, a “flushed face” emoji with wide eyes (😳) means that you’re speechless. It could also mean you’re overwhelmed by all the attention. You can use it to buy time and think about what you want to say next. A smiling blush emoji (😊) shows that their kind message warmed your heart. The sender will know they had a strong influence on you, and you’ll announce how powerful the effect was on social media. ^{[3]
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- “Um… wow. 😳”
- “I’m flattered. 😊”
- You can even add more affection. For example, you can say, “Aww! You’re sweet. That’s just what I needed to hear. 😊”

4

Answer with a smirk emoji.

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React with a half-smile to show you’re in on the fun. If they’re teasing you and you enjoy it, smirk emoji (😏) proves you’re confident and playful. Send it when you want to tell someone that you like the fun back-and-forth you have and that you’re game for more jokes or flirting sessions. You can also use it to keep a secret to yourself and make everyone on social media wonder what you’ll do next. ^{[4]
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- “Tell me how you really feel, though. 😏”
- “I guess you like that, huh? 😏”
- “Wait til you see my next set of photos. 😏”

5

Show confidence with a dancer emoji.

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Reply with lots of pride to show you like the effect you have on them. If they point out your good looks, a dancer emoji (💃🏿or 🕺🏿) says you know you’re hot stuff. Use it to show you are totally happy to soak in all the praise and attention. You can tell them you felt great about what you posted all along, or you can let them know that they boosted your ego. Anyone who reads your reply will see that you have healthy self esteem and enjoy compliments. ^{[5]
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- "💃🏿 When the sunlight hits you just right.”
- “Oh, hey! You’ve got me feeling myself now. 🕺🏿”
- “Yeah, it’s a pretty great shot, huh? 💃🏽 Props to the camera girl!”

6

Tease back with a wink emoji.

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Joke around and hint that you see a hidden message. If you sense that they’re trying to be a little mysterious, a wink emoji (😉) will perk up the sender’s mood and start up a friendly connection. Send it and give their fire emoji your seal of approval. You can just suggest that you know that they’re being flirty or even a little scandalous, or you throw in a joke to give off more platonic vibes. Everyone who sees your response on social media will get a great feel for your sense of humor. ^{[6]
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- “Nice. I see what you did there. 😉 Want a little more?”
- “Whoa there! 😉 Let’s keep it PG here.”
- “😉 I think that’s more hot than I can handle. Thanks, though.”

7

Send a meme of a firefighter.

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Hit back with an image with a hose and a firetruck to be over-the-top. Maybe they got ahead of themselves and flirted a little too hard. Since a fire emoji (🔥) is just a small flame, a dramatic meme makes fun of the situation. The exaggerated image is great as an inside joke shared just between two people or as a way to make everyone on your social media laugh. ^{[7]
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- Use follow-up phrases or emojis. For example, you can say, “🧐 Don’t get ahead of yourself! I’m going to put this fire out right away!” or “The chemistry between us is way too hot. 🤯”
- Your meme can include some text like: “Call the fire department! This one’s out of control! 😮”
- Your meme can also have people with funny facial expressions. For instance, yours could have a girl smirking as firefighters rush to a burning house.

8

Respond with a gif of a water bottle.

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Reply with an animation of water pouring down to be silly. If they’re being super friendly and you think they have a good sense of humor, hit them with a light-hearted joke. Usually, just one water bottle isn’t enough to put out even a small fire. This image is way more low-key than one that calls in a whole crew of firefighters. When you use a water bottle, you’ll tell the sender that they’ll probably have to stay hot and you’ll only help out a little bit. They’ll see that you’re being playful, and anyone on social media will see that you like to tease. ^{[8]
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- You can even ask, “Are you thirsty? Here, have this. 💧” Then, you can add your gif.
- You can also say, “Not sure if this will help, but it’s worth a try. 🤷🏽‍♀️”
- You can also send a gif of someone gulping down water. This hints that you see they’re really worked up.

9

Reply with an emoji of rain.

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Send an image of some weather that will cool them down. If you want to turn someone down in a gentle way, a good downpour (🌧️) is an effective way to put out even the hottest fire. If you want to take some quick action and put their fire emoji to rest, rain sends the message that you’re ready to redirect the convo. They’re less likely to send any more fire emojis, and you can easily change the subject on social media. ^{[9]
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- “The fire’s all washed away. 🌧️ Nothing to see here!”
- “Here, let me put that out. 🌧️”
- If you want, you can also tease and flirt with this emoji, too. Just use a different phrase. For example, you can say: “Ha ha, ok, hot stuff. 🌧️”

10

Describe your reaction their emoji.

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Communicate openly so they know about its impact on you. Maybe you have a lot more to say than a one-liner can get across. If you’re comfortable with sharing on a public platform, you can let the person know more about your feelings about their fire emoji. You can also reach out to them via a private message and talk it out. You’ll give them the chance to reflect on their use of emojis and how appropriate they are. ^{[10]
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- ”A fire emoji feels out of place for a family reunion pic. 😅”
- “I’m not going to lie, that makes me a little uncomfy. We just met!”
- “Hey, just PMing you to let you know your comment made me a bit anxious.”

11

Ask about the context of the emoji.

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Open up a discussion so you can learn more about their intent. Emojis are open to interpretation and leave a lot to the imagination. For example, a person could send a fire emoji because they thought the weather looked really hot in your vacation pic. They might also have stronger feelings they want to communicate. For instance, they may have a crush on you. Ask them directly about what their goal was and clear up the meaning behind their message. ^{[11]
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- “What does a fire emoji mean to you?”
- “Just checking in! What were you trying to say when you left that comment?”
- “Can you say more about what you were trying to tell me? Emojis can be so vague!”

12

Express yourself in any way that feels natural.

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Use any communication style that respects your boundaries. You may be flattered or even bothered by a fire emoji. You can even question or challenge the use of their emoji. If you don’t want to see it at all, feel free to delete the text or remove the comment from social media. Whatever your reactions or emotions are, they’re totally normal. You should feel safe and happy when you chat with others. ^{[12]
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- “I really appreciate that!”
- “I have to think more about how that makes me feel. I’ll get back to you.”
- “I think it’s best if I just delete this.”

Understand and Use Sexual Emojis with this Expert Series

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