MIS-FIRES Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

misfires 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of misfire

as in fails

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

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misfires

2 of 2

noun

plural of misfire

as in bombs

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of misfires

Verb

The shapeshifting director, whose credits range from the Oscar-winning romance Call Me by Your Name to the horror remake Suspiria, had worked with the company regularly, on commercial smashes (Challengers) and misfires (After the Hunt) alike. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026 However, if Winston misfires his way into, say, a two-game losing streak, the coach could get antsy and try to discover in McCarthy what his brother, Jim, found at Michigan. — Doug Haller, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Pollsters approach this year’s midterm elections dogged by high-profile misfires in recent elections while facing challenges from brash rivals intent on reshaping the landscape of political forecasts. — W. Joseph Campbell, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026 An agent that misfires books the wrong shipment or approves the wrong invoice. — Emily Lewis-Pinnell, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Kennedy misfires Many of Kennedy's claims so far on autism have not withstood scientific scrutiny. — Amanda Seitz, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026 Ackman’s misfires, though, have been offset by some prescient investments in the face of black swan events like the subprime mortgage crisis and COVID, cementing his reputation as one of the shrewdest and most daring risk-takers on Wall Street. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 20 July 2026 But the Raiders organization is rife with quarterback misfires in its recent history. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026 Sig Sauer faces a class action suit over claims that its P320 pistol misfires. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfires

Verb

If the upcoming winter fails to deliver a banner snow season, recovering from the drought could take longer.

— Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
The graph also fails to account for bigger developments in Russia’s diesel industry related to the strikes.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of fails

Noun

The suspect is said to have organized and carried out the detonation of at least four bombs between around 31 to 62 pounds at a depth of 230 feet to 263 feet near the Danish island of Bornholm.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
Zelensky does not appear to be in a rush to hold elections and the public has shown little enthusiasm for heading to the polls as bombs fly overhead.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of bombs

Noun

Finally, Vic gives up on being wheelbarrowed and full-body flops on the floor with only their feet under the velvet rope.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
But after Annapurna moved from financing its movies to distributing them in 2017, costs rose, flops piled up, and Megan Ellison scaled back her ambitions.

— Brent Lang, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of flops

Noun

The question confronting Israel and its international partners is not simply whether money should flow into Gaza, but also who controls it—and whether the next arrangement will avoid the failures of the last.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
The author argued that the unrest reflected deeper failures by France’s political establishment.

— Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of failures

Verb

Southern food may have a reputation for being heavy and unhealthy, but celebrity chef Tiffany Derry says that stereotype misses a big part of what's traditionally been served on tables across the South.

— Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Northern Colorado is much less certain, with a greater chance of finishing closer to normal or below normal if the storm track repeatedly misses.

— CBS News, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of misses

Noun

There are no duds in the accommodation line-up, but for longer stays, the Ocean House or Bay House suites are the ones to book.

— Chris Schalkx, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026
Visitors looking to load up their carry-on with designer duds will find an abundance of department stores and luxury boutiques like Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, and Dover Street Market just a stone’s throw away.

— Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of duds

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“Misfires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfires. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of misfires

verb

noun

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