as in to collapse
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in forest fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 backfire
C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
More from Personal Finance: How to spring-clean your finances
Americans are suffering from ‘sticker shock’ — how to adjust
1 in 5 Americans are ‘doom spending’ — how that can backfire
Most credit cards have a variable rate, which means there’s a direct connection to the Federal Reserve’s benchmark.
—Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2025
Jerry Weissman, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
An abundance of other research confirms that nagging backfires.
—Jenny Anderson, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backfire
Verb
The plan backfired: Poyer looked aged while Holland’s battles with injuries limited his ability.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
More from Personal Finance: How to spring-clean your finances
Americans are suffering from ‘sticker shock’ — how to adjust
1 in 5 Americans are ‘doom spending’ — how that can backfire
Most credit cards have a variable rate, which means there’s a direct connection to the Federal Reserve’s benchmark.
—Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2025
Noun
There lies the problem: the intention to customize is honorable, but the execution—excessive repetition—like the extra spaces in Mail Merge, backfires.
—Jerry Weissman, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
An abundance of other research confirms that nagging backfires.
—Jenny Anderson, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backfire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backfire
Verb
-
Additional footage shows collapsed buildings and wreckage in the streets.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2025
-
The quake also caused a skyscraper in Bangkok, Thailand, to collapse.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Her cookery show seems to have bombed and the previous podcast deal with Spotify flopped, so the desire to succeed this time is weighing heavily on her shoulders.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2025
-
If the company’s stock flops, your reward flops too.—
Anatoly Iofe,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The figure includes about $500 million in immediate costs plus lost revenue and recovery spending, and illustrates the lingering toll of the wildfires that began on Jan. 7, killing 30 people and destroying thousands of homes.—
Shawn Hubler,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
-
In Maui, while some of the island’s celebrity homeowners initially discouraged visitors from returning, the region was welcoming people back two months after the wildfires, says Kalani Kaʻanāʻanā, chief stewardship officer at the Hawaii Tourism Authority.—
Shoshi Parks,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The Ritual of Showing Up for a Scoop In 2025, rituals don’t look like bonfires or solstice festivals.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
-
The evening wraps up with a cup of hot cocoa near a crackling bonfire.—
Kay Johnson,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
My neighborhood smelled like a campfire for several days.—
Lisa Wood Shapiro,
Wired News,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Even with his campfires, Tram could experiment with elegance, refinement and complexity.—
Ann Abel,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backfire. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share