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
Aaron Johnson, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
While it was later discovered that the explosion was caused by a Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket that misfired, MSF neither corrected nor deleted its condemnation, which is still available on X but has a community note.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
And there was Nix’s misfire on a damning fourth-quarter go-ball to Courtland Sutton, when the quarterback had his go-to man streaking free on a third-and-10 … only to chuck it just past his fingertips.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misfire
Verb
San Jose State missed two scoring opportunities when kicker Mathias Brown missed a 53-yard field goal, and then misfired on a 47-yard field goal attempt on the following drive.
—Aaron Johnson, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
While it was later discovered that the explosion was caused by a Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket that misfired, MSF neither corrected nor deleted its condemnation, which is still available on X but has a community note.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
In regards to Smashing Machine‘s misfire, some are elbowing A24 and its means of marketing.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
And there was Nix’s misfire on a damning fourth-quarter go-ball to Courtland Sutton, when the quarterback had his go-to man streaking free on a third-and-10 … only to chuck it just past his fingertips.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misfire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfire
Verb
-
The Tigers also failed on their lone fourth-down attempt, a fourth-and-5 at the Texas A&M 27.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The Horned Frogs outgained Iowa State 432-272, but failed to come out on top as the Cyclones snapped their four-game losing streak.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The bill passed in June without media attention, while bombs were dropping on Iran.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
And those advertisers that once chaffed at TV-MA content have been more willing to embrace racy fare in order to appeal to younger viewers who aren’t concerned with a few F-bombs or raw images.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
There were initial claims that the 15-year-old girl miscarried, police told WSYX, but it was later revealed the baby was born alive and died for unknown reasons.—
Mike Stunson,
Kansas City Star,
5 Nov. 2025
-
People who miscarry facing jail time or dying from infection.—
Seda Saluk,
The Conversation,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There is growing concern in Hollywood about the future of the flop.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The thick, textured metal bottle opener depicts a fish mid flop.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Ukraine has been open to negotiations, but the failure of its partners to apply pressure on Russia has instead allowed Russian President Vladimir Putin to stall for time to change the facts on the ground.—
Jack Watling,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Nov. 2025
-
How the car warm-up routine began The warm-up routine started decades ago when vehicles were more prone to stalling in frigid temperatures, according to Carfax.—
Jalen Williams,
USA Today,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
One of his conclusions after all that government service was that Congress had scraped too much power away from the presidency after the fiasco of Vietnam and scandal of Watergate.—
Brian Bennett,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
-
According to a post on the Reddit Wedding Shaming forum, a woman detailed the fiasco surrounding her cousin’s wedding.—
Emily Strohm,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The failures of that occupation were many, relating to security, governance, the economy, and provision of basic municipal services.—
Ben Wedeman,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
-
My father had two superpowers that saved him in the face of all those failures—his talent for telling stories and gardening.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Market breadth was negative but not a washout, new 52-week highs were still well ahead of new lows.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
7 Oct. 2025
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Misfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfire. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share