backfire

noun

a miscalculation that recoils on its maker

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

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

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

verb

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

emit a loud noise as a result of undergoing a backfire

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

Synonyms for backfire

backlashn boomerangn recoiln fizzlen repercussv explodev counterblown detonationn counterstroke detonatev

Synonyms & related words for backfire

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of backfire — including backlash, boomerang, recoil, fizzle, repercuss, explode. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to backfire

Explore words related to backfire — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include blowback, misfire, flareback, antibacklash, fail, ignite, conflagrate, counterproductive. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for backfire

Common synonyms for backfire include backlash, boomerang, recoil, fizzle, repercuss, explode, counterblow, detonation — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.