as in collapsing
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 backfiring
However, this caution appears to be backfiring.
—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 23 Apr. 2026
The president’s attacks and threats on Fed policymakers themselves are also backfiring.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
The overconfidence of the pro-Trump push in country music pre- and postelection is backfiring on many of its most enthusiastic emissaries.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Red Lobster's push to lure diners with cheap deals may be backfiring, with one retail expert warning the strategy could be attracting the wrong customer as losses continue to mount.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Maura Healey, posing with a powerful weapon in her hands, joins a long list of pols whose political pandering to hunters and gun owners could end up backfiring.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
But, more than that, there’s a danger for the governor of this advertising campaign backfiring.
—Larry Wilson, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026
Tehran's aim with the missile and drone fire has likely been to pressure the Gulf's monarchies to push their allies in Washington to end the war, but the Iranian calculus appears to be backfiring.
—CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
The result is an eventual cough that produces a sound comparable to a car backfiring through a bag of gelatine.
—Alexis Wilkinson, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 23 Apr. 2026
The president’s attacks and threats on Fed policymakers themselves are also backfiring.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
The overconfidence of the pro-Trump push in country music pre- and postelection is backfiring on many of its most enthusiastic emissaries.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Red Lobster's push to lure diners with cheap deals may be backfiring, with one retail expert warning the strategy could be attracting the wrong customer as losses continue to mount.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Maura Healey, posing with a powerful weapon in her hands, joins a long list of pols whose political pandering to hunters and gun owners could end up backfiring.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
But, more than that, there’s a danger for the governor of this advertising campaign backfiring.
—Larry Wilson, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026
Tehran's aim with the missile and drone fire has likely been to pressure the Gulf's monarchies to push their allies in Washington to end the war, but the Iranian calculus appears to be backfiring.
—CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
The result is an eventual cough that produces a sound comparable to a car backfiring through a bag of gelatine.
—Alexis Wilkinson, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backfiring
Verb
-
It was abandoned in 1961 and nature took its course, with brambles spreading and structures collapsing.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
7 May 2026
-
The problem is those roofs cannot go too low without the roof potentially collapsing, creating fire and explosion risks.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Much of the discussion following the game is about flopping and supposed favorable whistles for the Thunder.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
Suggs set the tone for the series in the opening quarter of Game 1, disrupting Pistons passes, sinking a pair of 3-pointers and belly-flopping to the floor to collect a loose basketball.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backfiring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backfiring. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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