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. Joseph Giacalone:

   Apparently, there are no more victims' rights anywhere in New York City. If this keeps on going the way it’s going, eventually, this is all going to backfire, you cannot keep on disrespecting victims and their families because you think it’s going to be a better society or this utopian society.

2. Andrew Ames:

   You saw bursts of flames, little flames shooting out from the engine, it almost looked like backfire flames from a motorcycle or car.

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. Donald Trump:

   I believe this Witch-Hunt will backfire massively on Joe Biden, the American people realize exactly what the Radical Left Democrats are doing here. Everyone can see it. So our Movement, and our Party – united and strong – will first defeat Alvin Bragg, and then we will defeat Joe Biden, and we are going to throw every last one of these Crooked Democrats out of office so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

5. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter:

   My problem isn't that I don't understand what they're doing, i think my problem is that I think what they're doing is going to backfire and is counterproductive.