boomerang

verb

Definition of boomerangnext
as in to backfire
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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for boomerang
  1. backfire
  2. collapse
  3. flop
Verb
  • Bank industry leaders warn, however, that the cap could backfire on the most vulnerable bank customers, who rely on overdraft protection to keep them solvent.
    Daniel de Visé, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Though her phrasing may have been harsh, the underlying message resonates—celebrity endorsements often fail to sway voters and typically backfire.
    Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of backfire
Verb
  • After France's government collapses:Macron names Francois Bayrou prime minister Scholz has been Germany's chancellor since late 2021, replacing conservative Angela Merkel, who spent 16 years in the role.
    Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
  • It’s been anemic for decades but refusing to collapse, like so many empires.
    Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • The film earned mostly negative reviews and flopped at the box office with $58 million domestically and $206 million worldwide, a far cry from the 2019 original’s $1 billion gross.
    Zack Sharf, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
  • This past weekend, McCord led the Orangemen over the Miami Hurricanes in a major upset while Ohio State....once again flopped against Michigan.
    Don Yaeger, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Definition of flop
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near boomerang

boomed

boomerang

boomeranged

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Cite this Entry

“Boomerang.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boomerang. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on boomerang

Nglish: Translation of boomerang for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boomerang

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