misfire
verb (used without object)
(of a rifle or gun or of a bullet or shell) to fail to fire or explode.
misfires
-
present tense formof misfire (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
Even if Pangram misfires on a given op-ed, the study’s broader pattern—that A.I. use is showing up across major newspaper opinion pages, his own included—is impossible to argue with.
From Slate ● Apr. 17, 2026
Intel has had strategic misfires for decades, Meeks said, and government support won’t be enough to save it.
From Barron's ● Mar. 25, 2026
For each of those successes, there are several messy misfires: The wan camp of “The Politician.”
From Salon ● Feb. 12, 2026
After years of misfires, artificial-intelligence hacking tools have become dangerously good.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025
“Don’t be so sure—and don’t be so hard on yourself, kid. The transporter misfires now and again, but Ma don’t make mistakes. Could be this is all part of her plan.”
From "Dragons in a Bag" by Zetta Elliott
