boomeranging

verb

present participle of boomerang
as in collapsing
to have the reverse of the desired or expected effect the well-meaning gesture boomeranged, since he ended up being offended by it

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of boomeranging The idea of Miami boomeranging from 7-10 to make the playoffs next year and maybe even end that playoff-victory drought is not be crazy. — Greg Cote january 26, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boomeranging
  1. collapsing
  2. flopping
  3. backfiring
Verb
  • With the Bears trailing the Steelers 17-14 in the fourth quarter, Ditka caught a short pass and broke eight tackles before collapsing to the turf after a 63-yard gain that set up the tying field goal.
    — Ira Kaufman, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Merging with a magnetar All neutron stars are created the same way from the collapsing core of a massive star, but not all neutron stars are equal.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of collapsing
Verb
  • The tall foliage of bearded iris (Iris germanica) begins flopping early in the growing season.
    — Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The fish looks straight at me, flopping sluggishly from side to side.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of flopping
Verb
  • But then others questioned the group’s independence, highlighted LTF’s controversial and backfiring track record, and worried about the super PAC’s toxic effect on OpenAI’s brand and retention of senior researchers.
    — Garrison Lovely, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • That seemingly sound advice from the master of the field now risks backfiring, Doctorow argued.
    — Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of backfiring

Browse Nearby Words

boomeranged
boomeranging
boomerangs
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Cite this Entry

“Boomeranging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boomeranging. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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