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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boomerang
Verb
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But reacting too quickly (especially without seeing everything in writing) can backfire.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025 -
His immigration crackdown has also begun to backfire.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Verb
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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
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Ramirez’s Independence home was condemned by the city after a basement wall collapsed during the storms.—
Maddie Carr,
Kansas City Star,
24 July 2025
Verb
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The analysis does point out some elements of the arrangement that could prove to be problematic for San Diego taxpayers if the project flops.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 July 2025
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Lastly, the charge port for the gearbox is on the end of a wire that just flops around in an annoying and unsightly fashion.—
Eric Bangeman,
ArsTechnica,
25 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Boomerang.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boomerang. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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