backfire
verb (used without object)
(of an internal-combustion engine) to have a loud, premature explosion in the intake manifold.
backfires
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pluralof backfire.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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present tense formof backfire (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
The company has long relied on this high-yielding equity as its primary engine to bankroll Bitcoin acquisitions—a strategy that backfires when the shares lose ground.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
All of the above comes with a caveat: Unbridled choice often backfires.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
Officers potentially wasting thousands of hours in pursuit of car backfires and construction noise mislabeled as gunfire has not deterred the New York Police Department from continuing to use it.
From Salon ● Feb. 8, 2026
Is there a chance this really backfires, then?
From Slate ● Jan. 13, 2026
The car behind me at the drive-thru backfires, and I rush inside.
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
