Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun backfire

4 senses of backfire

Sense 1
blowback, backfire -- (the backward escape of gases and unburned gunpowder after a gun is fired)
       => explosion, detonation, blowup -- (a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction)

Sense 2
backfire -- (a loud noise made by the explosion of fuel in the manifold or exhaust of an internal combustion engine)
       => explosion, detonation, blowup -- (a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction)

Sense 3
backfire -- (a fire that is set intentionally in order to slow an approaching forest fire or grassfire by clearing a burned area in its path)
       => fire -- (the event of something burning (often destructive); "they lost everything in the fire")

Sense 4
backfire, boomerang -- (a miscalculation that recoils on its maker)
       => miscalculation, misreckoning, misestimation -- (a mistake in calculating)

Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb backfire

3 senses of backfire

Sense 1
backfire, backlash, recoil -- (come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect; "Your comments may backfire and cause you a lot of trouble")
       => happen, hap, go on, pass off, occur, pass, fall out, come about, take place -- (come to pass; "What is happening?"; "The meeting took place off without an incidence"; "Nothing occurred that seemed important")

Sense 2
backfire -- (emit a loud noise as a result of undergoing a backfire; "My old car backfires all the time")
       => make noise, resound, noise -- (emit a noise)

Sense 3
backfire -- (set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest to prairie fire)
       => burn, fire, burn down -- (destroy by fire; "They burned the house and his diaries")