boomerang

noun

boo·​mer·​ang ˈbü-mə-ˌraŋ How to pronounce boomerang (audio)
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
boomerang intransitive verb

Examples of boomerang in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Brooke’s backslide Brooke Schofield’s boomerang from TikTok hero to villain would give even the most hardy of drivers whiplash. Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2024 The boomerang that Lenahan had tossed had returned to the United States, even if the government did not explicitly acknowledge it. Caroline Bettinger-López, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2018 Could attacks on Walz’s 24 years of military service boomerang on the Republican standard bearer? Dan Merica, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2024 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, 16 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for boomerang 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'boomerang.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of boomerang was in 1824

Dictionary Entries Near boomerang

Cite this Entry

“Boomerang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boomerang. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

boomerang

1 of 2 noun
boo·​mer·​ang
ˈbü-mə-ˌraŋ
: a curved club that can be thrown so as to return to the thrower

boomerang

2 of 2 verb
Etymology

the Indigenous word for this club in Australia

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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