Meaning & use
misfire
To fail to fire or function as intended, or to produce an unsuccessful, unintended result.
See it in a sentence
The old rifle misfired twice before the frustrated hunter finally gave up.
Her joke misfired badly, and the whole room fell into awkward silence.
A note on using this word
Misfire is frequently used figuratively for a plan, joke, or attempt that fails to have its intended effect.
Words with a similar meaning
failbackfire
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
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