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
Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
And in 2022, after a man pointed a gun at Argentina’s then-Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner that misfired, Argentinians accused the ruling party of staging the incident to distract from Kirchner’s corruption trial.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Three years of growth and dedicated time to the craft of basketball counteracted one solitary misfire.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misfire
Verb
But the Raiders organization is rife with quarterback misfires in its recent history.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
And in 2022, after a man pointed a gun at Argentina’s then-Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner that misfired, Argentinians accused the ruling party of staging the incident to distract from Kirchner’s corruption trial.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
Even the Matthew Tkachuk trade, which seemed like a win initially for the Flames, now looks like a misfire with the way things have gone for Jonathan Huberdeau.
—Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Three years of growth and dedicated time to the craft of basketball counteracted one solitary misfire.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misfire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfire
Verb
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In early 2022, after the state failed to pass a ban on such care for minors, Paxton wrote a legal opinion declaring transition care for minors to be child abuse.—
Jo Yurcaba,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
-
The city filed a lawsuit saying the federal government failed to perform required reviews of how the project would affect the health and safety of residents and the environment.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Reed, who died at his home in New York Tuesday at 87, was a provocateur, a bomb thrower.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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Sources say a four-person Cal Fire arson and bomb unit told witnesses not to speak with Cal-OSHA investigators and withheld documents vital to the workplace safety probe.—
Joe Rubin,
Sacbee.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Gutierrez had been held hostage alongside two of his nieces, one of whom was three months pregnant and subsequently miscarried.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Women infected during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, are more likely to miscarry or have a stillbirth.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At the federal level, three live propositions each flop on different grounds.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
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Merrill feared a flop until Lamont enlisted Francisco Borges, the former state treasurer, to lead a fundraising effort.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The lack of diesel has stalled the agricultural sector, marine vessels and trucks, Piñon said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
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In western Palm Beach County, a proposal to build a massive data center has stalled as neighbors in a suburban community called Arden have pushed back against the project, which would require rezoning to build.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
The fiasco played out for days and led to in-depth reviews at both the BBC and BAFTA.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
8 May 2026
-
But that doesn’t mean the Terry Rozier fiasco can’t have the NBA rig the lotto hopper.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Noun
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When Danh was initially hospitalized overseas on April 9, doctors diagnosed her with acute liver failure, among other serious health issues.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
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Despite these obvious failures, many still call for the rich to pay more taxes.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
There will be several chances for rain across Maryland Wednesday through early next week, but none of the days are looking like washouts.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
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This is an ideal grass for patching after a washout.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfire. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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