backfire
verb (used without object)
(of an internal-combustion engine) to have a loud, premature explosion in the intake manifold.
was backfiring
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past progressiveof backfire.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Other analysts said China’s growing aggressiveness over Taiwan was backfiring by making more countries take notice.
From New York Times ● Sep. 14, 2023
Its CEO apologized to the employees for controversy surrounding popular podcaster Joe Rogan and faced questions about whether the company’s heavy foray into podcasting was backfiring.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2022
One witness told investigators the engine sounded like it was backfiring.
From Washington Times ● May 1, 2017
But Mangcu reckoned that the historylessness that black parents believed would be a blessing for their offspring was backfiring.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 18, 2015
She was backfiring her protests but presently settled down to her accustomed smoothness.
From David Lannarck, Midget An Adventure Story by George S. Harney
