backfire
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.
Once someone has formed an opinion, debunking their belief can backfire, driving them to commit even more strongly to their mistake.
From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026
Greek authorities have strongly opposed vaccination, arguing that the antibodies they create can backfire by giving false signals of infection.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
The pressure is now on CEO Vinai Venkatesham - previously at Arsenal - sporting director Johan Lange, and the Lewis family, who are over-seeing affairs, as the gamble of Tudor's appointment continues to backfire.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
“Many presidents wouldn’t have that tone for personal moral reasons,” Rowland said, “but they also know that it can backfire when things don’t go well.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026
Then he would sit and brood for hours while Mary frantically built up a backfire of gaiety.
From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck
Vocabulary lists containing backfire
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
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"Laws are not the only way to boost immunization”: an editorial from Nature
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Catching Fire
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