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
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
They had thought the noise was a backfire from a car, and it was not until the next day that they knew.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
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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