as in collapses
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 backfires
Dan Walters, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
Needless to say each backfires spectacularly.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Mar. 2026
Too Early Starting seeds indoors is exciting, but doing so too early often backfires.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 22 Feb. 2026
But the plan backfires because no one who doesn’t personally know Eric and Harper can understand the peculiar strains of ambition and self-destruction that fuel them.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
Genuine apologies are necessary at times, but over-apologizing often backfires.
—Erin McGoff, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026
Worried about a longtime friend’s memory issues, the letter writer asks a niece to check in one her — which backfires.
—R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Continue reading … PULLING THE PLUG – Amazon cancels 'Melania' movie screening at cinema after sign backfires.
—FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Early escalation without documentation often backfires.
—Essence, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
Gavin Newsom loves to brag about his accomplishments as governor — a syndrome that sometimes backfires when reality raises its ugly head.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
Needless to say each backfires spectacularly.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Mar. 2026
Too Early Starting seeds indoors is exciting, but doing so too early often backfires.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 22 Feb. 2026
But the plan backfires because no one who doesn’t personally know Eric and Harper can understand the peculiar strains of ambition and self-destruction that fuel them.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
Genuine apologies are necessary at times, but over-apologizing often backfires.
—Erin McGoff, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026
Worried about a longtime friend’s memory issues, the letter writer asks a niece to check in one her — which backfires.
—R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Continue reading … PULLING THE PLUG – Amazon cancels 'Melania' movie screening at cinema after sign backfires.
—FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Early escalation without documentation often backfires.
—Essence, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backfires
Verb
-
That was one of our very strong stakes in the ground, to have a nuclear meltdown where the mountain collapses and Sinatra sacrifices herself.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
-
For a few weeks every March, American productivity collapses into a blur of fake doctor’s appointments and furtive glances at phones under conference tables as the NCAA’s annual basketball tournament subsumes the culture.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Fortunately for shareholders, the stock grants come with a feature similar to equity options that somewhat reduces Musk’s payday, especially in a case like the one above where the plan flops.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 Nov. 2025
-
Amina blows her mom a kiss and then flops down in her crib, pretending to be asleep.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Becerra pointed to his experiences leading the sprawling federal health agency during the Biden administration, including dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the wildfires that devastated Maui, Hawaii, avian flu and mpox, formerly known as monkeypox.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
It's been a dry season, and water supply and wildfires are top of mind for many Coloradans.—
Michael Abeyta,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The oil shortage has also affected public services and food transportation, prompting rare protests in some cities, with citizens banging pots and pans and lighting bonfires in the darkness.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Late Thursday night into early Friday morning, residents in several neighborhoods in Havana took to the streets, banging pots and pans and, in some cases, lighting bonfires to block major roads in the capital — a sign of escalating frustration.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backfires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backfires. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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