Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Showing results for backfire. Search instead for bakfis.
Definitions

backfire

[bak-fahyuhr] / ˈbækˌfaɪər /


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.

It’s a move that could backfire for the artificial-intelligence start-up.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 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

Any Iranian attempt to mine the waterway could backfire on Tehran, which sends about 90% of its own oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz each year.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026

But almost immediately, the Berlin Wall began to backfire on Khrushchev.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin




Vocabulary lists containing backfire