Sign In Get Started
Prepositions after verbs

Using backfire correctly

Backfire most naturally takes on to show who is negatively affected. Other prepositions are uncommon or belong to separate sentence structures.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows backfire?

Use backfire on when an action has the opposite effect and harms someone. Backfire with can appear when describing a method or audience, but it is less fixed. Backfire in, as, and at are generally not standard combinations.

The joke backfired on the speaker.
The strategy backfired on the company.
That approach backfired with younger voters.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
backfire on + person/group

Showing who suffers the negative effect

Use on for the person or organisation harmed by the unexpected result.

The criticism backfired on the manager.
Their campaign backfired on them.
2
backfire with + audience/method

Describing a negative response

With can be used when discussing how a tactic failed with a particular group.

The advertisement backfired with customers.
His humour backfired with the audience.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
backfire on
The accusation backfired on the politician.
have the opposite effect and harm someone
backfire with
The campaign backfired with younger voters.
produce a negative reaction from a group
backfire in
The plan backfired in the final stage.
in introduces a separate context, not a fixed pairing
backfire as
The remark backfired as an attempt at humour.
as introduces a role or interpretation, not a standard verb-preposition combination
backfire at
The tactic backfired at the last minute.
at is a time adjunct here, not a standard combination

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using at after backfire

Backfire does not normally take at directly.

✕ The prank backfired at him. ✓ The prank backfired on him.

Confusing on and with

On identifies who suffers; with refers to a reacting group.

✓ The slogan backfired with teenagers.

Treating in as a fixed partner

In usually introduces a situation or stage, not a standard backfire combination.

✓ The decision backfired in practice.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The scheme backfired ___ its creators.
2. The joke backfired ___ the audience.
3. The idea backfired ___ the final meeting.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

Is backfire on the most common pattern?

Yes. It is the standard way to show who was harmed by the failed action.

Can backfire be used without a preposition?

Yes. You can simply say a plan backfired.

Is backfire with informal?

It is accepted in contexts about audience reaction, though less central than backfire on.

back-by-away-out-in, up backtrack on, to, in, after or by? "baffle by" or "baffle as"? "bake in" or "bake for"? balance by, in, on, with or between? ban from, in, for, by or on? "bang on" or "bang for"? "banish from" or "banish to"? baptize in, by, into, with or on? "bargain for" or "bargain with"? "bark at" or "bark in"? bathe in, by, on, with or for?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account