Words / B1

bak-FEYE-uh/ˌbækˈfaɪə/

To backfire is to have the opposite result from the one you wanted: a plan backfires. Go wrong is everyday; rebound is rarer. Literal backfire is an engine fault — rare in exams. Social media: a tweet backfired and donations fell.

Meaning

To have the opposite result from the one you wanted.

Examples

• “The late-night tweet backfired and donations fell.”
• “The parking surcharge backfired when shoppers used the next borough.”

Good to know

a plan / strategy / joke backfires. Everyday: go wrong. Not the usual word for a car engine in B1 news. Campaigns / PR.

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