as in to fail
to go wrong
their scheme to rob the bank misfired disastrously and landed them all in jail
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in catastrophe
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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 misfire
FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
John Wick spinoff Ballerina may have been a box office misfire in June, but its release stirred enough interest in the franchise to boost Lionsgate‘s library revenue close to $1 billion over the trailing 12-month period.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2025
Chandler Rome, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025
Trump takes control of Washington police as liberal anchor's superhero mockery misfires.
—FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misfire
Verb
Trump takes control of Washington police as liberal anchor's superhero mockery misfires.
—FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
John Wick spinoff Ballerina may have been a box office misfire in June, but its release stirred enough interest in the franchise to boost Lionsgate‘s library revenue close to $1 billion over the trailing 12-month period.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
After misfiring on three consecutive ones to Wilyer Abreu, Brown stormed off the mound and turned his back before catcher Yainer Diaz could throw him a new baseball.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025
Trump takes control of Washington police as liberal anchor's superhero mockery misfires.
—FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misfire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfire
Verb
-
Likely to have less impact on your buying decision (but still reside in the back of your mind) is that if one of the triple-panel fans fails, the entire triple-fan unit needs replacing, not just one fan.—
Thomas Soderstrom,
PC Magazine,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The new glue has impressive properties, including its ability to withstand significant forces before failing.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Styled with chic flip flops, Howie's woman demonstrates that kicking back on a getaway can also be a style statement.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The Bachelor and its spinoffs have been in a flop era for quite some time now.—
Olivia Crandall,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
Following that fiasco, Ansari began work on directing a new feature inspired by yet another sociological muse.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Already hacked off by the renovation fiasco, the company’s longtime patrons pounced, accusing the corporation of betraying its history and values.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
For example, insufficient electricity supply can stall data center development, while waste-to-energy solutions can strengthen both agriculture and power systems.—
Maurice Obeid,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The Legislature has spent three years working on a plan for a long-term funding measure, but negotiations stalled last year against opposition from a number of groups.—
Kate Talerico,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Afterward, Mitchell became the editor of Nuclear Times, the disarmament magazine, despite having no nuclear background other than some extravagant atomic-bomb drills in junior high in the fifties.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Drills started with a massive bang when several Russian fighter jets came streaking in at a low level, dropping bombs on mock targets.—
Frederik Pleitgen,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Last September, generative AI was looking to me like a big dud.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
The storm also left people trapped in seven vehicles on nearby roads after overflowing creeks caused washouts, deputies said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Because of semaglutide's long washout period, treatment should also be stopped at least two months before a planned pregnancy.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Misfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfire. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share