misfire

1 of 2

verb

mis·​fire ˌmis-ˈfī(-ə)r 

misfired; misfiring; misfires

intransitive verb

1

: to have the explosive or propulsive charge fail to ignite at the proper time

the engine misfired

2

: to fail to fire

the gun misfired

3

: to miss an intended effect or objective

the new ad campaign misfired

misfire

2 of 2

noun

mis·​fire ˌmis-ˈfī(-ə)r 

ˈmis-ˌfī(-ə)r

1

: a failure (as of a cartridge or firearm) to fire

2

: something that misfires

Synonyms of misfire

Verb

• fail
• fall short
• miscarry
• stall
• fall flat
• come to grief

Examples of misfire in a Sentence

Verb

their scheme to rob the bank misfired disastrously and landed them all in jail

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

While Heinrich ponders the misfiring neurons in the brain of a mass shooter, Jack’s pursuit of Mink—a character whose skin color and ambiguous ethnicity Jack remarks on repeatedly—leads him directly into the urban teeth of the War on Drugs. —Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026

Medication can help but the main treatment is ablation, when doctors thread catheters to the heart to burn misfiring tissue. —ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026

Noun

While such reports by Muddy Waters and others have in the past proved devastating, this one appears to be a misfire. —Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026

Styled like a hyper-sexualized Powerpuff Girl, Cherry is responsible for many of the film’s biggest laughs — and some of its strangest tonal misfires. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1752, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for misfire

• briar
• brier
• buyer
• choir
• crier
• cryer
• drier
• dryer
• eyer
• flier
• flyer
• friar

Kids Definition

misfire

verb

mis·​fire

(ˈ)mis-ˈfī(ə)r

1

: to have the explosive or driving charge fail to ignite at the proper time

the engine misfired

2

: to fail to fire

the gun misfired

3

: to miss an intended effect

the plan misfired

misfire noun