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
If the angle is right, there’s a resounding crack like the sound of a car that’s backfired.
—
Literary Hub, 16 Feb. 2026
Pegula’s decision to use underachieving receiver Keon Coleman as a ploy to defend Beane and shade the coaching staff backfired mightily.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Gang Green was severely lacking after the Fields’ signing backfired on them.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
When has being outspoken backfired for you in any way?
—Preezy Brown, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2026
Marina Jenkins, executive director of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said the GOP drive to redraw election maps had backfired.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
The decision at the time to give the top job to Disney veteran Bob Chapek, best known for his stints in the company’s home entertainment, consumer products and theme park units, backfired after Chapek made a number of missteps.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
Tort law changes backfired In the months following the defeat of SB 726, State Farm came under widespread scrutiny for hundreds of cases of policyholders suing the insurance giant on bad faith grounds.
—J.c. Hallman, Oklahoman, 3 Feb. 2026
Greenberg said those attacks backfired.
—Nik Popli, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
Literary Hub, 16 Feb. 2026
Pegula’s decision to use underachieving receiver Keon Coleman as a ploy to defend Beane and shade the coaching staff backfired mightily.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Gang Green was severely lacking after the Fields’ signing backfired on them.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
When has being outspoken backfired for you in any way?
—Preezy Brown, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2026
Marina Jenkins, executive director of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said the GOP drive to redraw election maps had backfired.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
The decision at the time to give the top job to Disney veteran Bob Chapek, best known for his stints in the company’s home entertainment, consumer products and theme park units, backfired after Chapek made a number of missteps.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
Tort law changes backfired In the months following the defeat of SB 726, State Farm came under widespread scrutiny for hundreds of cases of policyholders suing the insurance giant on bad faith grounds.
—J.c. Hallman, Oklahoman, 3 Feb. 2026
Greenberg said those attacks backfired.
—Nik Popli, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backfired
Verb
-
In Worcester, which lay more than 40 miles from the Charlestown line, a parched and dusty rider arrived at the square in front of the church, where his horse collapsed in exhaustion.—
Kostya Kennedy,
Time,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The front porch had also collapsed on the two-story, multi-family building.—
Forum News Service,
Twin Cities,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Neo is a few blocks from another property that flopped into financial woes.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
But they were helped by the fact that the other pre-tournament contenders completely flopped.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The wild part is how quickly that creator theme boomeranged back at us in real time.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
16 Dec. 2025
-
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 22 Feb. 2026.
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