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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in forest fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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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
Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Stopping cancer research because cancer prevention training doesn’t always work and sometimes backfires won’t stop cancer.
—H. Colleen Sinclair, The Conversation, 21 Mar. 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
Without a trusted guide, AI efforts stall, hallucinate, or backfire.
—Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Stopping cancer research because cancer prevention training doesn’t always work and sometimes backfires won’t stop cancer.
—H. Colleen Sinclair, The Conversation, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backfire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backfire
Verb
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But, as ballots were being counted, government authorities announced that the electoral system had collapsed.—
Stephania Taladrid,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2025
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Tommy walks through the burning town and finds Maria, collapsing into her on Main Street, which is littered with dead, human and infected both.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The crop can be harvested at anytime but most leave the bulbs in the ground until the tops decline and flop over.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Apr. 2025
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The Bali project seems to have flopped, reportedly leaving local construction workers in the lurch.—
Kyle Khan-Mullins,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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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
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The evening wraps up with a cup of hot cocoa near a crackling bonfire.—
Kay Johnson,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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My neighborhood smelled like a campfire for several days.—
Lisa Wood Shapiro,
Wired News,
18 Apr. 2025
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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 27 Apr. 2025.
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