backfire
verb (used without object)
(of an internal-combustion engine) to have a loud, premature explosion in the intake manifold.
have backfired
-
present perfectof backfire.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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 asset manager’s concentration in artificial intelligence and software, once its strength, appears to have backfired.
From Barron's ● Mar. 4, 2026
So far, this calculus seems to have backfired.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026
The retailer's attempt to humanise its chat bot may have backfired, as some users said that Olive was "obnoxious," while another said that they found its small talk "aggravating."
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026
In fact, it may have backfired on the former president instead, legal experts suggested.
From Salon ● Mar. 26, 2024
Mortal men are liable to motor accidents; even king's cars have backfired; but it seems strange that actor-managers are not specially exempt from these occurrences.
From Happy Days by A. A. (Alan Alexander) Milne
