backfire

verb

back·fire | \ ˈbak-ˌfī(-ə)r

How to pronounce backfire (audio)

\

backfired; backfiring; backfires

Definition of backfire

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to have the reverse of the desired or expected effect their plans backfired

2 : to make or undergo a backfire

backfire

noun

Definition of backfire (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a loud noise caused by the improperly timed explosion of fuel mixture in the cylinder of an internal combustion engine

2 : a fire started to check an advancing fire by clearing an area

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Examples of backfire in a Sentence

Verb

my plan to throw her a surprise party backfired when she ended up sobbing that everyone had forgotten her birthday

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

At work, her pragmatic approach to managing a racist school administrator backfired when her idealistic boss called into question her motives and judgment. — Julia Felsenthal, Vogue, "How Insecure Gets Political While Ignoring Trump," 10 Aug. 2018 Research suggests that our efforts to be super clean may be backfiring. — Tori Rodriguez, Woman's Day, "5 "Bad" Habits That Are Actually Good for You," 3 Aug. 2016 This plan fully backfires, because the two pair-up to kidnap Stephen Bonnet and get caught in the act. — Mehera Bonner, Harper's BAZAAR, "Bree Just Got Engaged to Someone Who Is Not Roger on Outlander," 14 Jan. 2019 That endeavor backfired, but Nickelodeon is giving green ketchup a new chance at life in 2018. — Stacey Grant, Seventeen, "14 Outrageous Facts About Nickelodeon Slime," 10 Dec. 2018 White House aides warned officials at the EPA that having Pruitt sit for interviews this week could backfire and told them to rethink their plans, a person familiar with their conversation said. — Pamela Brown, CNN, "Trump floated replacing Sessions with Pruitt this week despite scandals," 5 Apr. 2018 Those efforts have been mostly cheered, but there is also concern that handing too much authority to tech companies could backfire. — Alyssa Newcomb /, NBC News, "Tech companies struggle with the human side of fake news," 17 Mar. 2018 In the 1970s, then-minister Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Yamani warned fellow OPEC members that their wave of oil-price hikes would backfire. — Bloomberg.com, "Saudi Arabia Is Taking a Harder Line on Oil Prices," 19 Feb. 2018 Puerto Rican Republicans in Florida warn that going after statewide Republicans could backfire if Scott wins a U.S. Senate seat in 2018, for example. — Alex Daugherty, miamiherald, "Rubio calls out Puerto Rico’s governor on statehood | Miami Herald," 19 Jan. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Nearly 3,000 firefighters have been working around the clock, lighting backfires and building a containment line, in an effort to keep the flames at bay. — John Blackstone, CBS News, "Thousands of firefighters battling massive wildfires in western U.S.," 4 July 2018 Here's how Cal Fire is gaining ground in containing the 82,700-acre County Fire Advertisement Cal Fire crews are lighting backfires to contain the massive County Fire in Napa and Yolo counties near Lake Berryessa. — Benjy Egel, sacbee, "County Fire swells to nearly 83,000 acres as firefighters inch closer to containment," 4 July 2018 But Smith made the decision backfire when his single made it 2-0. — Clark Spencer, miamiherald, "It was 1993 all over again as teal-clad Marlins take care of Padres," 8 June 2018 So is talk of a Trump summit with Putin — unless the president bluntly confronts the Russian leader about his cyber espionage in Europe and the U.S. >> READ MORE: Will Trump’s deal-making backfire and embroil U.S. in new wars? — Trudy Rubin, Philly.com, "Trump pummels G-7 democratic allies but loves autocrats | Trudy Rubin," 8 June 2018 If its wager backfires, everyday low prices will be where Walmart least wants it: in the stock price. — Charley Grant, WSJ, "Healthy Skepticism About Walmart and Humana," 30 Mar. 2018 Praise for White's performance in Pyeongchang caught backfire on social media at a time when #MeToo and other movements are calling for more accountability about harassment and abuse. — Thr Staff, The Hollywood Reporter, "Olympic Champion Shaun White Refers to Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit as "Gossip"," 14 Feb. 2018 Praise for White's performance in Pyeongchang caught backfire on social media at a time when #MeToo and other movements are calling for more accountability about harassment and abuse. — Jake Seiner, Houston Chronicle, "Shaun White apologizes for comments on sexual misconduct lawsuit," 14 Feb. 2018 Praise for White's performance in Pyeongchang caught backfire on social media at a time when #MeToo and other movements are calling for more accountability about harassment and abuse. — chicagotribune.com, "Shaun White refers to sexual misconduct lawsuit as 'gossip'," 14 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'backfire.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near backfire

Statistics for backfire

Last Updated

16 Apr 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for backfire

The first known use of backfire was in 1801

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More Definitions for backfire

backfire

verb

English Language Learners Definition of backfire

of an engine or vehicle : to make a loud sound when fuel is not burned properly

: to have the opposite result of what was desired or expected

backfire

verb

back·fire | \ ˈbak-ˌfīr

\

backfired; backfiring

Kids Definition of backfire

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to have a result opposite to what was planned The joke backfired.

2 : to make a loud engine noise caused by fuel igniting at the wrong time

backfire

noun

Kids Definition of backfire (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a loud engine noise caused by fuel igniting at the wrong time

2 : a fire that is set to stop the spread of a forest fire or a grass fire by burning off a strip of land ahead of it

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an act or instance of returning to life

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