misfire

American  

[mis-fiuhr, mis-fahy^uhr] / mɪsˈfɪər, ˈmɪsˌfaɪər /

verb (used without object)

misfired, misfiring

1. (of a rifle or gun or of a bullet or shell) to fail to fire or explode.

2. (of an internal-combustion engine) to fail to ignite properly or when expected.

3. to fail to achieve the desired result, effect, etc..

   His criticisms completely misfired.

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noun

1. an act or instance of misfiring.

misfire British  

/ ˌmɪsˈfaɪə /

verb

1. (of a firearm or its projectile) to fail to fire, explode, or ignite as or when expected

2. (of a motor engine or vehicle, etc) to fail to fire at the appropriate time, often causing a backfire

3. to fail to operate or occur as intended

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noun

1. the act or an instance of misfiring

Etymology

Origin of misfire

First recorded in 1745–55; mis- ¹ + fire

Example Sentences

These studies weren’t necessarily wrong, but I suspect they were snapshots in time that might have lured some into concluding the entire effort was destined to misfire.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

A late misfire out of touch cost them - Gael Fickou sealed it soon after - but that was a scary experience for France.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2025

They don’t make any sense either, but they at least look at each other’s faces with genuine fascination, trying to salvage this misfire like an air mattress under Evel Knievel.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2025

But the real crime of “Megalopolis” is Coppola flushing his money, as well as a talented cast down the toilet on such a head-scratching misfire.

From Salon • Dec. 13, 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

Related Words

• backfire
• fall flat
• fizzle
• flop