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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boomeranging
Verb
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Fans of the show have been split on the meaning of the series’ ending, which saw Eleven sacrificially remaining behind in the collapsing Upside Down while her friends escaped.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
6 Feb. 2026 -
One argues that LRDs are really gas clouds collapsing into black holes—that the red glow is a violent birth rather than an adolescent feeding frenzy.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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By a standard box-office calculus, such a low- to mid-seven-figure debut for a nonfiction film with $75 million in negative costs means Melania has little to no chance of avoiding flopping theatrically.—
Chris Lee,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
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Stiller’s character attempts to match the athletic feat in a heated rage by climbing high and belly-flopping right onto a drum kit as the music powers on.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, on the opposing sideline, Broncos coach Sean Payton came under fire for a fourth-down call that ended up backfiring.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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But Wednesday’s report about the parking fees quickly backfiring should turn this melancholy into fury.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Boomeranging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boomeranging. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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