as in to fail
to go wrong
their scheme to rob the bank misfired disastrously and landed them all in jail
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in catastrophe
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misfire
Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
The brain misfires on what feels charged or taboo.
—Peter White, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2026
Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 25 Nov. 2025
By Deborah Brennan, CalMatters California lawmakers are demanding answers after a live fire demonstration over Camp Pendleton Saturday led to a misfire that rained shrapnel on Interstate 5, striking two California Highway Patrol vehicles.
—Calmatters, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misfire
Verb
The Mavericks were unable to execute on the final play of the game as Khris Middleton misfired on a pass intended for Flagg, leading to the Mavericks’ fifth straight loss — a 115-114 decision at Kia Center.
—Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
The brain misfires on what feels charged or taboo.
—Peter White, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
Bill Self had seen enough after watching sophomore big man Flory Bidunga misfire on three inside shots and also fail to prevent a pair of inside buckets in the early moments of Kansas’ Players Era opener against Notre Dame on Monday at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 25 Nov. 2025
By Deborah Brennan, CalMatters California lawmakers are demanding answers after a live fire demonstration over Camp Pendleton Saturday led to a misfire that rained shrapnel on Interstate 5, striking two California Highway Patrol vehicles.
—Calmatters, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misfire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfire
Verb
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Some candidates who submitted petitions by the March 4 deadline failed to qualify because some of their signatures were deemed invalid.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
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Republicans, who control half of the Minnesota House, pointed out that DHS failed to detect fraud for years.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Harris has promised moderation and a focus on the district's problems, contrasting himself with Greene's bomb-throwing style.—
JEFF AMY AND SOPHIE BATES THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
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One bomb was thrown, but never detonated.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Women infected during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, are more likely to miscarry or have a stillbirth.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
2 Mar. 2026
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The standard of care for miscarrying patients in the second trimester, for example, is to offer to empty the uterus, which can lower the risk of infection and sepsis, according to leading medical organizations.—
Cassandra Jaramillo,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Studios often argue — especially after a costly big-budget flop — that theatrical is just one component of a film’s profitability.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2026
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The former Windows chief noted that in computing history, industry players sometimes develop a product that’s ahead of its time but whose execution is off, resulting in a flop.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Unable to raise budgets as fast as populations, some cities slowed or stalled new development, rather than depress services to existing taxpayers.—
Mark Dee
March 6,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
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The process would open up a new chance at freedom in a state where clemency is granted in just a fraction of cases and other post-conviction relief, like the state’s Juveniles and Young Adults Convicted as Adults program, or JYACAP, is limited or stalled, Meyer said.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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What remains to be seen is the degree to which the current fiasco will resemble our destruction of Iraq.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
-
This production of Peter Pan is flying straight toward a fiasco.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Some policy defenders contend that the labor market weakness reflects adjustments to immigration restrictions rather than fundamental economic failure, positioning this as a deliberate policy choice rather than an economic failure.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Survivors are at risk of infections and organ or respiratory failure, even if their burns are small.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There are low chances for rain from Wednesday into the weekend but no day looks like a complete washout.—
Rachael Jay,
CBS News,
1 Mar. 2026
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This comes amid a debate on the right over what themes to stress to avoid a GOP washout in November.—
The Wall Street Journal,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfire. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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