Synonyms for backfire
ˈbækˌfaɪərback·fire

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1. blowback, backfirenoun

   the backward escape of gases and unburned gunpowder after a gun is fired

   Synonyms:
   boomerang, blowback

2. backfirenoun

   a loud noise made by the explosion of fuel in the manifold or exhaust of an internal combustion engine

   Synonyms:
   boomerang, blowback

3. backfirenoun

   a fire that is set intentionally in order to slow an approaching forest fire or grassfire by clearing a burned area in its path

   Synonyms:
   boomerang, blowback

4. backfire, boomerangverb

   a miscalculation that recoils on its maker

   Synonyms:
   throw stick, boomerang, throwing stick, blowback

5. backfire, backlash, recoilverb

   come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect

   "Your comments may backfire and cause you a lot of trouble"

   Synonyms:
   rebound, spring, quail, flinch, bound, funk, kick, squinch, ricochet, kick back, cringe, bounce, backlash, wince, recoil, resile, reverberate, take a hop, shrink

6. backfireverb

   emit a loud noise as a result of undergoing a backfire

   "My old car backfires all the time"

   Synonyms:
   recoil, backlash

7. backfireverb

   set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest to prairie fire

   Synonyms:
   recoil, backlash

Matched Categories

1. • Explosion
   • Fire
   • Noise

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How to use backfire in a sentence?

1. Will Smith:

   Studios make the decision that if they're going to Comic-Con, they have to bring their A-game, if you don't come with something that's going to get people excited, it could actually backfire ... It's not cheap to make a splash at Comic-Con.

2. Pamela Oliver:

   That’s the big debate, most people think that non-violence is the way to go and that violent, aggressive responses could backfire, that is play into the hands of white supremacists by using violence.

3. Lawrence Gostin:

   Nothing on this scale has ever been tried, there's very little evidence of its effectiveness. And I think there's good reason to think that it could backfire, from a public health, social, human rights perspective.

4. James Hodge:

   The potential implementation of federal, heavy-handed quarantine can be problematic and can backfire.

5. Thomas Gerakis:

   It looked like a walk in a park for Alexis Tsipras - there was a chasm between Alexis Tsipras. But we see now that if one underestimates the other, it will only backfire, i'M NOT FAKE.