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
That campaign largely backfired, as USA TODAY previously reported.
—
Drew Pittock, USA Today, 19 June 2026
This strategic wait, however, backfired as the NBA simultaneously overhauled its draft lottery system.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Chuy García’s stunt on behalf of his chief of staff has backfired insofar as there are multiple candidates running for the seat in November.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026
The strategy backfired as Royce Lewis continued his hot streak with a two-run single.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 17 June 2026
But both stoked the public, and that stoking backfired.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 14 June 2026
The veteran litigator found herself in hot water after her efforts to broker a detente between Cipriani and Shell spectacularly backfired.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Fried and Reiter argue that the guardians’ actions backfired entirely.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 1 June 2026
The Hogs’ strategy of filling the bases backfired as Tyson Owens plated what turned out to be the game-winning run by drawing a walk.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2026
Drew Pittock, USA Today, 19 June 2026
This strategic wait, however, backfired as the NBA simultaneously overhauled its draft lottery system.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Chuy García’s stunt on behalf of his chief of staff has backfired insofar as there are multiple candidates running for the seat in November.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026
The strategy backfired as Royce Lewis continued his hot streak with a two-run single.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 17 June 2026
But both stoked the public, and that stoking backfired.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 14 June 2026
The veteran litigator found herself in hot water after her efforts to broker a detente between Cipriani and Shell spectacularly backfired.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Fried and Reiter argue that the guardians’ actions backfired entirely.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 1 June 2026
The Hogs’ strategy of filling the bases backfired as Tyson Owens plated what turned out to be the game-winning run by drawing a walk.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backfired
Verb
-
On May 9, 1873—Black Friday—stocks collapsed, and fights broke out on the floor of the exchange, which was forced to close.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
Like how the 1964 claims of a North Vietnamese attack in the Gulf of Tonkin collapsed.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Replay shows the defender never made meaningful contact and the offensive player overly-exaggerated the contact (flopped).—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
That fad, alas, had run its course, and the Bicentennial Pet Rock flopped.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Mary, our thirtysomething narrator, has recently boomeranged back to her hometown (York) after experiencing a break with reality that may or may not be psychotic.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
-
The ball skidded though the green, banged off the Truist fencing and boomeranged right back into the same bunker.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backfired.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backfired. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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