boomerang

boo·mer·ang | \ ˈbü-mə-ˌraŋ

How to pronounce boomerang (audio)

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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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Examples of boomerang in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Even that ruling, though, may have had a boomerang effect. — Michael Wines, New York Times, "As a G.O.P. Playbook on Voter Fraud Falls Flat, Some Ask: What’s Next?," 14 Nov. 2020 And as history has shown, supporting jihadists is a boomerang that can ultimately hurt the patrons. — Hollie Mckay, Fox News, "Israel claims Turkey is granting passports to Hamas members," 29 Aug. 2020 The latest boomerang was recorded near the mid-ocean ridge in the Atlantic, where the South American and African tectonic plates slowly inch apart. — Maya Wei-haas, National Geographic, "Weird ‘boomerang’ earthquake detected under the Atlantic Ocean," 10 Aug. 2020 The film contains two crisscrossing stories that underscore the sacredness of Black beauty—one narrative is linear, the other curved like a boomerang. — Zandria Felice Robinson, The Atlantic, "Beyoncé’s Search for Home Continues on Black Is King," 15 Aug. 2020 After a 138-foot drop, the track had a dizzying combo of two vertical loops, a 200-foot corkscrew, a boomerang turn (something like a bow-tie shape) and a 360-degree helix, churning the stomachs of 46 million riders. — Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, "Top 10 retired Kings Island rides we'll miss the most on National Roller Coaster Day," 14 Aug. 2020 While this focused shaking is usually thought to happen in one direction, a boomerang could focus shaking in two opposite zones. — Maya Wei-haas, National Geographic, "Weird ‘boomerang’ earthquake detected under the Atlantic Ocean," 10 Aug. 2020 Tearing down the seated president at this time will have a boomerang effect. — Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, "Letters: Think of the bees (5/5/20)," 5 May 2020 The success of the brand led to numerous extensions, including the far-flying Vortex, the boomerang-like Turbo Blast-Back, the whistling Gyro Vortex, the even-easier-to-hold Pro Grip, the complete-with-pass-routes Big Play and other variations. — David Kindy, Smithsonian Magazine, "The Nerf Football Has Been Inspiring Backyard Championships Since 1972," 29 Jan. 2020

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.

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boomerang child

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Last Updated

20 Nov 2020

Cite this Entry

“Boomerang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boomerang. Accessed 17 Jan. 2021.

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