as in collapsed
to have the reverse of the desired or expected effect
my plan to throw her a surprise party backfired when she ended up thinking that everyone had forgotten her birthday
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Recent Examples of backfired
The decision instantly backfired.
—
Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
The team’s lone major free-agent signing in the 2020s has backfired in spectacular fashion.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
The White House’s plan to aid Argentina appears to have backfired.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025
Indeed, many bans like these have backfired on the Kremlin.
—Anna Nemtsova, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2025
These initiatives, and others like them, have succeeded, failed, or backfired, to varying degrees.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2025
This backfired badly; not only did Hanson not get the money, but he was further scrutinized by the police, who were aware of his connection to Cipriani.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
The executive branch clearly overstepped, and its attempt to suppress free speech backfired wildly.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2025
So far, efforts at appeasing the MAGA outrage machine have only backfired.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
The team’s lone major free-agent signing in the 2020s has backfired in spectacular fashion.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
The White House’s plan to aid Argentina appears to have backfired.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025
Indeed, many bans like these have backfired on the Kremlin.
—Anna Nemtsova, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2025
These initiatives, and others like them, have succeeded, failed, or backfired, to varying degrees.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2025
This backfired badly; not only did Hanson not get the money, but he was further scrutinized by the police, who were aware of his connection to Cipriani.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
The executive branch clearly overstepped, and its attempt to suppress free speech backfired wildly.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2025
So far, efforts at appeasing the MAGA outrage machine have only backfired.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backfired
Verb
-
Smith has completely collapsed.—
Michael Salfino,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Last weekend, on this same stage at Forest Hills, singer-songwriter Lola Young collapsed during her set at All Things Go.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The critique echoes larger skepticism in Silicon Valley, where hardware plays like Humane’s AI Pin and Rabbit’s R1 have already flopped.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The movie, which included Adrian Zmed, Christopher McDonald, Lorna Luft, Tab Hunter and Didi Conn reprising her role from the first film as Frenchy, flopped at the box office.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The most blatant of those on Sunday was Kelce converting a great opportunity into a play that boomeranged the other way.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backfired.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backfired. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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