MISFIRE Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

misfire 1 of 2

verb

ˌmis-ˈfī(-ə)r

Definition of misfire

as in to fail

to go wrong their scheme to rob the bank misfired disastrously and landed them all in jail

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

misfire

2 of 2

noun

as in catastrophe

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of misfire

Verb

Even classic color duos can misfire if they’re not thought through. — Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2026 Brunson rose for a deep three-pointer that misfired, but Anunoby weaved through traffic and tipped the ball in for a one-point lead to secure the win. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026

Noun

There was a lot of concern about celebrity intrusions taking the focus off the players and game, and the Zac Brown misfire was everything fans feared and then some. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026 Officials confirmed a misfire without providing details. — ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for misfire

Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfire

Verb

Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez provided the margin to prevent a tie, which under House rules is the same as a measure failing outright.

— Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 2026
Multiple attempts at negotiating with Lille remotely had failed to bring about a club-to-club agreement.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of fail

Noun

Summary Coastal and high-risk hotels face soaring insurance premiums, up 45-100%, as natural catastrophe losses escalate.

— Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
That didn’t stop catastrophes like the 2018 fire in the Sierra foothills that destroyed the town of Paradise and killed 85.

— Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of catastrophe

Verb

The Cincinnati Bengals player, 31, and his wife announced in a joint Instagram post on Friday, July 17, that their baby, a boy, miscarried at 16 weeks.

— Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 19 July 2026
Two years later, in May 2025, Andrews recorded an emotional episode on the same day her surrogate miscarried.

— Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 15 July 2026

Definition of miscarry

Noun

Cage flattened Borden with a power bomb through a table in the corner.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
In the village of Bilbasovka in eastern Ukraine, a 13-year-old child and an adult died after Russian troops dropped bombs on private houses Sunday, according to local official Vadim Lyakh.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of bomb

Verb

The death toll from the devastating floods and mudslides along the Nepal-China border has risen to at least 676 people, as rescue operations stall amid poor weather.

— Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Long lines snake toward bars selling the tournament’s speciality cocktail, and a David Chang stall cooks elevated chicken tenders.

— Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of stall

Noun

But Bama followed with a 38-3 quarterfinal flop to Indiana, erasing any momentum and placing DeBoer squarely under the microscope entering a pivotal third season.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
But at the time, the latter was a major flop that was panned by notable critics such as Pauline Kael.

— Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of flop

Noun

The wedding invitation fiasco comes just days after Kelce opened up about his and Swift’s special day.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 25 Aug. 2026
Though the reason for Marte’s initial absence remains unknown publicly — the Diamondbacks were so blindsided by it that he was scratched only minutes before Monday’s game — the team seemed eager to move on from the fiasco.

— Marc Carig, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of fiasco

Noun

The failures resulted in a divorce during the offseason and this exhibition game at Hard Rock Stadium was the first time the couple happened to be at the same place at the same time since the split.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
For five months, these players have underperformed, much to the chagrin of their front offices and the fans, who repeatedly boo their failures.

— Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of failure

Browse Nearby Words

misfeasors

misfire

misfired

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“Misfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfire. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of misfire

verb

noun

Example Sentences

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