as in collapses
to have the reverse of the desired or expected effect
the well-meaning gesture boomeranged, since he ended up being offended by it
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Recent Examples of boomerangs
Finding a way to bring value to others always boomerangs in some way.
—
Victoria Thomas, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2025
Victoria Thomas, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boomerangs
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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Amina blows her mom a kiss and then flops down in her crib, pretending to be asleep.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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There are a lot of studies that show that cultivating any emotional state — happiness in particular, but also calmness or lack of anxiety — actually backfires.—
Keith Wagstaff,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
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Taking away something a child is playing with usually backfires as well.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Boomerangs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boomerangs. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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