backfire
verb (used without object)
(of an internal-combustion engine) to have a loud, premature explosion in the intake manifold.
backfired
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past participleof backfire.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof backfire.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
backfireverb (used without object)(of an internal-combustion engine) to have a loud, premature explosion in the intake manifold.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But a police crackdown on crowds marching towards parliament on July 20 backfired, galvanising support for the movement and transforming anger over exam leaks into a broader expression of youth frustration.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
For much of the past year, the company has attempted to move on after efforts to modernize the chain backfired.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
The chain has experienced other problems as well, including remodels that backfired, agitation among activist investors and same-store sales that have wobbled over Masino’s three-year tenure.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
But critics claim the intended effects have backfired, instead stifling sales and slowing apartment construction by disincentivizing developers to build, as the tax eats into their profit margins.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
Seemed like Dad’s plan to show up Eugene Hammond had backfired on us all.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
