MISFIRING Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

misfiring

verb

present participle of misfire

as in failing

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

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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 misfiring The second worker was clipped in the jaw by a misfiring nail gun. — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Manchester United The disappointment of 2024-25 was somewhat rectified by a summer spent remodelling a misfiring attack. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 21 May 2026 The Celtics fell into an early 11-4 hole while misfiring on seven of their first nine shots. — Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026 Omega-3 fatty acids work by preventing the inflammatory response from misfiring, per Koff. — Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 5 Apr. 2026 While Heinrich ponders the misfiring neurons in the brain of a mass shooter, Jack’s pursuit of Mink—a character whose skin color and ambiguous ethnicity Jack remarks on repeatedly—leads him directly into the urban teeth of the War on Drugs. — Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026 Medication can help but the main treatment is ablation, when doctors thread catheters to the heart to burn misfiring tissue. — ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026 Then came the shot the crowd had been waiting for as the Pioneer had been misfiring all night from 3-point land. — Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026 Given Young’s music centers around modern, misfiring romance, the statement was unexpected. — Ramon Ramirez, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfiring

Verb

In a statement given to the The Athletic on Wednesday, Hampshire Police confirmed that Sterling had been charged with dangerous driving, possession of nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a specimen.

— Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Last Year The Cowboys experienced a bizarre, roller-coaster 2025 season, ultimately finishing 7-9-1 and failing to qualify for the postseason.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of failing

Verb

Despite multiple warnings issued by Elizabeth Police to stay off the roads, CBS News New York saw many drivers take their chances and pay the price, getting stuck or stalling.

— Andrew Ramos, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
Similar legislation failed to pass in 2023 after stalling in a committee hearing, and in 2018 after pushback from the ACLU California Action, which remains opposed to this year’s version of the bill.

— Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of stalling

Verb

Wilson was back on the practice field Sunday, despite missing much of training camp with an injury, and will likely open the season as Seattle’s third-string running back.

— Andrew Destin, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
The death toll in last week’s devastating flooding in Nepal has risen to 903 people, officials said Monday, as the number of those listed as missing nearly doubled to 4,247.

— Rudy Chinchilla, NBC news, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of missing

Browse Nearby Words

misfires

misfiring

misfit

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

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Synonyms of misfiring

verb

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