as in fails
to go wrong
their scheme to rob the bank misfired disastrously and landed them all in jail
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Recent Examples of misfires
Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
That optimism may be a bit misguided, considering the history of emerging sports league misfires.
—Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
The brain misfires on what feels charged or taboo.
—Peter White, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2026
As Wiener, the show’s curator, walks me through, her narration inevitably turns into a litany of the artist’s almosts, misfires, and losses.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 4 Feb. 2026
There were issues with intake manifold leaks, exhaust manifold cracking, coolant leaks, engine misfires due to corrosion, and water in the spark plug holes.
—John Paul, The Providence Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
In a bid to make Curtis jealous, Castor brings home from the nightclub the 20something Omar for an overnight hookup, but that misfires spectacularly.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2025
As the moon and Mercury clash, your intuition misfires.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
In short, Nix often grounds his feet into the turf when he's afforded a clean pocket, doesn't appear to generate much momentum, and misfires because of it.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
And research into why the brain misfires.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
That optimism may be a bit misguided, considering the history of emerging sports league misfires.
—Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
The brain misfires on what feels charged or taboo.
—Peter White, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2026
As Wiener, the show’s curator, walks me through, her narration inevitably turns into a litany of the artist’s almosts, misfires, and losses.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 4 Feb. 2026
There were issues with intake manifold leaks, exhaust manifold cracking, coolant leaks, engine misfires due to corrosion, and water in the spark plug holes.
—John Paul, The Providence Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
In a bid to make Curtis jealous, Castor brings home from the nightclub the 20something Omar for an overnight hookup, but that misfires spectacularly.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2025
As the moon and Mercury clash, your intuition misfires.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
In short, Nix often grounds his feet into the turf when he's afforded a clean pocket, doesn't appear to generate much momentum, and misfires because of it.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfires
Verb
-
But, elsewhere in Cook County, property taxes are what school districts must turn to when the state fails to support public education at the level most other states do.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Then, an ultrasound mid-way through pregnancy showed that her baby had anencephaly, a fatal condition in which the skull fails to develop properly.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Designed to detonate at high altitude the munition disperses dozens of smaller bombs that are more challenging for Israel's multi-layered air defense system to intercept and can cause damage over a wider area.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Eliminate bathroom odors with Wabi Whiffs’ fizzy toilet bombs and sprinkles.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This process stalls improvements for years.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
16 Mar. 2026
-
If his progress stalls out, this team is in trouble.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Presenting the album to media and industry guests, Flea looked right at home wearing flip flops on a hot summer’s day.—
Lars Brandle,
Billboard,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Instead, the Fire Phone - overseen directly by founder Jeff Bezos - was scrapped in barely over a year, one of Amazon’s highest-profile flops.—
Greg Bensinger,
USA Today,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When a series of tragic failures at New Era Community Health Center left scores of the county’s weakest, poorest and most erratic residents in danger, Florida health inspectors took the unusual step of threatening to shut down the home.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In 2023, the number dropped significantly, even as supervision failures within jails persisted, down to 63.—
Ryan Oehrli
April 1,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To see that kind of big-budget artistry properly lionized, given some of the duds the Academy has recognized in recent years—I’m looking at you, Green Book—felt like a true triumph.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Sometimes things are too good to be true or simply don't work, but there are nuggets of gold among the duds.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Just after a third pregnancy also miscarries, Aje meets a young woman named Mayra in a hospital waiting room and the two get talking.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Noun
-
In 1941, Japan’s Pearl Harbor surprise attack triggered a nearly 2-year chain of American military catastrophes.—
Gil Troy,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
But the effects on Qatar’s economy and global energy markets were profound, offering a glimpse of the catastrophes that might follow a broader Iranian military campaign against energy facilities across the Persian Gulf.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misfires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfires. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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