boomerang

noun boo·mer·ang \ ˈbü-mə-ˌraŋ \

Updated on: 2 Apr 2018

Definition of boomerang

1 : a bent or angular throwing club typically flat on one side and rounded on the other so that it soars or curves in flight; especially : one designed to return near the thrower

2 : an act or utterance that backfires on its originator

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boomerang

intransitive verb

See boomerang defined for English-language learners

See boomerang defined for kids

Recent Examples of boomerang from the Web

Enabling this boomerang effect is Trump's emphasis on loyalty.

— dan merica, CNN, "In Trump's world, once you check in you rarely check out," 27 Mar. 2018
Gigi shares a boomerang of Zayn doing pull-ups in a Spider-Man costume.

— peggy truong, Cosmopolitan, "A Definitive Timeline of Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid's Relationship," 13 Mar. 2018
His vitriol often bounces back at himself - a boomerang full of self-deprecation.

— john petkovic, cleveland.com, "Cleveland punk-rocker Lachlan MacKinnon releases irreverently funny memoir," 15 Mar. 2018
Try zooming in super close to the balloon’s burners for an eye-catching video or boomerang to add some video to your feed.

— for kentucky derby festival, The Courier-Journal, "Top 5 Most Instagrammable Events @KyDerbyFestival," 14 Mar. 2018
Then cross the Thames for a visit with Modigliani’s artful nudes at the Tate Modern, making sure to snap some Instagram-worthy boomerangs on the swings outside.

— Fortune, "14 Perfect Date Night Ideas in Cities Around the World," 13 Feb. 2018
Such hard-to-predict boomerang effects could be true of the insurance mandate as well.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Republicans knock holes in Affordable Care Act but don't deliver a knockout punch: analysis," 26 Dec. 2017
Such hard-to-predict boomerang effects could be true of the insurance mandate as well.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Republicans knock holes in Affordable Care Act but don't deliver a knockout punch: analysis," 26 Dec. 2017
Such hard-to-predict boomerang effects could be true of the insurance mandate as well.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Republicans knock holes in Affordable Care Act but don't deliver a knockout punch: analysis," 26 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'boomerang.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of boomerang

Dharuk (Australian aboriginal language of the Port Jackson area) bumarinʸ

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1824

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

BOOMERANG Defined for English Language Learners

boomerang

noun

Definition of boomerang for English Language Learners

: a curved, flat, wooden tool that can be thrown in such a way that it returns to the thrower

BOOMERANG Defined for Kids

boomerang

noun boo·mer·ang \ ˈbü-mə-ˌraŋ \

Definition of boomerang for Students

: a curved club that can be thrown so as to return to the thrower

History for boomerang

The word boomerang was taken from a language called Dharuk, spoken by the native Australian people who lived around what is today Sydney, Australia, when the first Europeans landed there in 1788. Many Dharuk speakers died of smallpox, brought by European colonists, and the language was almost completely out of use by about 1850. Curiously, the earliest record of Dharuk, taken down in 1790, incorrectly described boomerang as a kind of wooden sword.