misfire
Americanverb (used without object)
-
(of a rifle or gun or of a bullet or shell) to fail to fire or explode.
-
(of an internal-combustion engine) to fail to ignite properly or when expected.
-
to fail to achieve the desired result, effect, etc..
His criticisms completely misfired.
noun
verb
-
(of a firearm or its projectile) to fail to fire, explode, or ignite as or when expected
-
(of a motor engine or vehicle, etc) to fail to fire at the appropriate time, often causing a backfire
-
to fail to operate or occur as intended
noun
Etymology
Origin of misfire
Explanation
When an engine or weapon misfires, it doesn't function or ignite correctly. When a plan misfires, it doesn't work quite the way you imagined it would. The original meaning of misfire is gun-related; when pulling a trigger doesn't result in the gun firing, the gun misfires. Around the turn of the 20th century, the word began to be used for combustion engines that couldn't get started because their fuel wouldn't ignite. Figuratively, misfire is good for describing ideas that don't ignite: "I'm afraid my plan to talk my parents into taking us to Disney World may misfire in the end."
Vocabulary lists containing misfire
Loaded Words from the Gun Violence Debate
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: mis-
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
In some cases the monitors that measure sewage spills can misfire but if the regulator does find these incidents occurred it will take enforcement action, it said.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
There is no other known evidence to support the misfire claim.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026
"Even a cinematic maestro occasionally musters up a misfire," the Razzies said, in a press release announcing Coppola's win.
From BBC • Feb. 28, 2025
The "Star Wars Holiday Special" was such a legendary misfire that it aired on CBS primetime only once.
From Salon • Dec. 9, 2024
Anyone who knows anything about firearms will tell you that a 9mm handgun cannot misfire in the way that gun did.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
