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
Djokovic, meanwhile, tried to shorten points by hitting drop shots of his own, but the tactic kept backfiring, with Prižmić able to chase them down and fire away winners.
—
Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 8 May 2026
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
Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 8 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backfiring
Verb
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The dread moving through professional offices right now is the sound of that assumption collapsing.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
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Badham had barely escaped another collapsing production, an early version of The Wiz starring Diana Ross, when producer Robert Stigwood suddenly called him in to take over what was then still called Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night, based on Nik Cohn’s famous New York magazine article.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Perhaps the poster child for the flopping phenomenon is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
-
For all the bright spots on Islands’ state champion soccer team, nothing shone brighter than its golden hairdos flopping around the pitch.—
Jack Leo,
AJC.com,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backfiring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backfiring. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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