as in to backfire
to have the reverse of the desired or expected effect
the well-meaning gesture boomeranged, since he ended up being offended by it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boomerang
Verb
-
But reacting too quickly (especially without seeing everything in writing) can backfire.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025 -
Their earlier mission to flood the market with more TV shows on Disney+ and movies in theaters than fans could handle backfired.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
The episode ended with a deep-fake public service announcement that showed Trump walking through the desert, taking off his clothes and collapsing nude in the sand.—
Christine Ricciardi,
Chicago Tribune,
25 July 2025
-
Burrell, 55, was found collapsed on her shower floor in her Brooklyn apartment at about 1 a.m. on June 17.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
However, tall varieties, which can reach 5 feet in height, should be staked to keep them upright and prevent them from flopping over nearby plants.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 July 2025
-
During Fan Expo Denver, Fraser gave his take on why the follow-up flopped, per Collider.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
11 July 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Boomerang.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boomerang. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share