as in to fail
to go wrong
their scheme to rob the bank misfired disastrously and landed them all in jail
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in catastrophe
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misfire
Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 July 2025
Once a home computing giant across the US and Europe, the company was undone by mismanagement and misfires.
—Craig Grannell, Wired News, 20 July 2025
FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
First, Maye whipped a screen completion to DeMario Douglas, then puked up a near interception from a closing pocket, misfired for Kyle Williams, couldn’t hit Mack Hollins, overthrew Stefon Diggs during a would-be sack (Milton Williams) and had a late throw for Kayshon Boutte knocked away.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misfire
Verb
Now, with another major misfire behind him, his Ryder Cup hopes dangle by a thread.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 July 2025
Once a home computing giant across the US and Europe, the company was undone by mismanagement and misfires.
—Craig Grannell, Wired News, 20 July 2025
Noun
Trump takes control of Washington police as liberal anchor's superhero mockery misfires.
—FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
First, Maye whipped a screen completion to DeMario Douglas, then puked up a near interception from a closing pocket, misfired for Kyle Williams, couldn’t hit Mack Hollins, overthrew Stefon Diggs during a would-be sack (Milton Williams) and had a late throw for Kayshon Boutte knocked away.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misfire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfire
Verb
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The panel studying those cases released a report last year describing how the state child welfare agency missed warning signs and failed to protect dozens of children from dying of the illicit drug.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
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Ultimately, the Bundys and five others were acquitted of all charges after jurors said prosecutors failed to prove their intent.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate, Kevin Costner’s Waterworld, Disney’s John Carter and, well, Cats, are a few major flops that audiences seemed to delight in, even if most people never saw the films themselves.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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Sancho is a star in Germany (a goal involvement every 95 minutes for Dortmund) but a flop in England (a goal involvement every 244 minutes for Man United and Chelsea combined).—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But Truman said in late May that prosecutors may use other state laws involving disposing of remains to prosecute women who have miscarried, per DC Now reporting.—
Sophie Clark,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
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The boy was the father of a baby Lily had miscarried three weeks prior, Brown said.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2025
Noun
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The Cracker Barrel fiasco is a classic that business schools will study for decades.—
Jess Collen,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
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But the oil field fiasco underscores the challenges China faces in achieving its goals.—
Anthony Kuhn,
NPR,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Negotiations on the bill to repeal the AUMFs were also stalled due to the ousting of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who had agreed to bring the bill to the floor.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
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Deals can stall or collapse if a prospective client is not confident in a company’s security posture.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The challenge grows in degraded or denied GPS environments, where many existing bombs lose precision.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
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Can some of the other Idaho coffee drive-thrus step up their bizarro sugar-bomb drink games?—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Out of 23 songs, there’s maybe five or six keepers, buried in way too many duds that drag on forever at three minutes.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
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This year’s edition of Halloween Horror Nights brought back a few favorites (Friday the 13th, Poltergeist), introduced some new hits (Terrifier, Five Nights at Freddy’s), delivered some solid original mazes (Scarecrow, Monstruos) and offered up a few duds (Fallout, World Wrestling Entertainment).—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The agency expects to hire 8,900 new air traffic controllers by 2028, but because of factors like attrition, retirements and program washouts, this will only result in 1,000 more certified controllers, according to FAA documents.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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But any rain that falls will not be a washout or continuous.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Misfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfire. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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