as in collapses
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 backfires
Christopher Rim,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Chopper 4 footage showed large flames burning through trees near the turnpike as crews lit backfires—a tactic used to extinguish a wildfire by burning fuel ahead of the approaching fire line.
—
Steven Yablonski,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
When C-suite talk backfires The very political job of leading a company requires an agile communication style and the ability to quickly tailor language and messaging to meet the moment at hand.
—
Claire Zillman,
Fortune,
28 May 2026
The acting attorney general's attempt to answer those questions backfires.
—
ABC News,
24 May 2026
Alcohol as a sleep aid backfires by reducing REM sleep and worsening overall sleep quality.
—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 May 2026
Aggressive grout scrubbing is another well-meaning habit that backfires.
—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
As Mars meets resistance from Jupiter, trying to handle everything at once backfires.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Back on the boy-toy front, Deborah’s PR stunt backfires both personally and professionally.
—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
Many students mistakenly believe selecting an obscure major guarantees an admissions advantage by reducing competition; however, this strategy usually backfires.
—
Christopher Rim,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Chopper 4 footage showed large flames burning through trees near the turnpike as crews lit backfires—a tactic used to extinguish a wildfire by burning fuel ahead of the approaching fire line.
—
Steven Yablonski,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
When C-suite talk backfires The very political job of leading a company requires an agile communication style and the ability to quickly tailor language and messaging to meet the moment at hand.
—
Claire Zillman,
Fortune,
28 May 2026
The acting attorney general's attempt to answer those questions backfires.
—
ABC News,
24 May 2026
Alcohol as a sleep aid backfires by reducing REM sleep and worsening overall sleep quality.
—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 May 2026
Aggressive grout scrubbing is another well-meaning habit that backfires.
—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
As Mars meets resistance from Jupiter, trying to handle everything at once backfires.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Back on the boy-toy front, Deborah’s PR stunt backfires both personally and professionally.
—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backfires
Verb
-
Canvas collapses what has typically been a fragmented production chain into a single workspace.
-
If the cost of producing a complex tax plan collapses toward zero, what exactly is the client paying for—and who keeps the fee?
Noun
-
Lara Schwarz studies the effect of wildfires and heat waves on public health at UC Berkeley.
-
Using security video, cellphone data and his own digital trail, including questions to ChatGPT about whether cigarettes can start wildfires, prosecutors placed Rinderknecht at the ignition point shortly before the Lachman Fire was reported.
Verb
-
But when weighed down by the moisture, the grass flops over and doesn't present itself as well to the cutting blade.
-
One of the best bigs in [expletive] basketball history flops.
Noun
-
Shacks, of which there were nine along the peninsula, would compete to outdo each other, lighting bonfires on the beach, supplying endless kegs, and inviting live bands.
-
Dozens of municipalities in northern Spain also canceled traditional bonfires because of elevated wildfire risk.
Cite this Entry
“Backfires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backfires. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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