What does the idiom ‘add fuel to the fire’ mean?

Explanation

‘Add fuel to the fire’ is an idiom meaning to say or do something that makes an already difficult or tense situation even worse, as in ‘Criticizing him in public only added fuel to the fire.’ The image comes from literally adding flammable material to a fire, causing it to burn even more intensely, which mirrors how certain actions can intensify an already heated conflict. Explore more English MCQs on mcqstutor to keep practicing.