as in failing
to go wrong
their scheme to rob the bank misfired disastrously and landed them all in jail
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 misfiring
After a curious Euro 2024, where Les Bleus went out in the semi-finals having scored only three goals from open play (two of which were own goals), head coach Didier Deschamps used the subsequent Nations League campaign to recalibrate his misfiring attack.
—
Tom Williams, New York Times, 22 Apr. 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
The Celtics were far less efficient, misfiring on six of their first seven 3-pointers amid a 4-for-15 start.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 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
Initially, speculation swirled online that the blast at the school could have been caused by misfiring Iranian air defenses, as the IRGC tried to repel incoming air strikes.
—Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Tom Williams, New York Times, 22 Apr. 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
The Celtics were far less efficient, misfiring on six of their first seven 3-pointers amid a 4-for-15 start.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 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
Initially, speculation swirled online that the blast at the school could have been caused by misfiring Iranian air defenses, as the IRGC tried to repel incoming air strikes.
—Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfiring
Verb
-
The Kansas City Chiefs have made it through two days — and three rounds — of the 2026 NFL Draft while failing to address a major part of the team.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Now Durnell is at the center of a Supreme Court case to be argued on April 27 that tackles whether Monsanto can be sued for failing to warn of cancer risks from glyphosate.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The changes come after several high-profile problems involving autonomous vehicles in San Francisco, including Waymo vehicles stalling and blocking intersections during a blackout in December.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The veterans have reached a compromise with the administration, stalling the lawsuit for now, with a promise that the administration will follow the legal process to build the arch.—
Emily Guskin,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Red Sox finished third in the AL East the next season, missing the playoffs for the first time in five years.—
Jimmy Golen,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
While the Giants addressed wide receiver, a big missing piece remains in boosting the defensive tackle spot.—
Charlotte Carroll,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misfiring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfiring. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
