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Backfire synonyms
băk'fīr'
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boomerang
To have the opposite effect from the one intended; backfire.
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  1. To have the opposite effect from the one intended; backfire.
  2. To act as a boomerang; result in harm to the originator
  3. To return or rebound unexpectedly, especially when the result is undesired; to backfire.
recoil
To spring back, as upon firing.
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  1. To spring back, as upon firing.
rebound
To return (a sound)
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  1. To return (a sound)
  2. To cause to rebound.
  3. (Basketball) To seize a rebound
strike back
(Intransitive) To retaliate
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  1. (Intransitive) To retaliate
kick-back
(Idiomatic) To relax.
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  1. (Idiomatic) To relax.
miscarry
To fail to attain an intended goal, as a plan or project.
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  1. To fail to attain an intended goal, as a plan or project.
  2. To go wrong; fail: said of a plan, project, etc.
  3. To fail to achieve some purpose; to be unsuccessful, to go wrong (of a business, project etc.). [from 16th c.]
boomerang
To travel in a curved path.
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  1. To travel in a curved path.
  2. To return to the starting point.
  3. To return or rebound unexpectedly, especially when the result is undesired; to backfire.
burst
To come apart suddenly and violently, as from internal pressure; fly into pieces; break open or out; explode
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  1. To come apart suddenly and violently, as from internal pressure; fly into pieces; break open or out; explode
  2. To give sudden utterance or expression:
  3. To cause to burst:
erupt
To cause to burst forth; throw forth; eject
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  1. To cause to burst forth; throw forth; eject
  2. To appear on the skin. Used of a rash or blemish.
  3. To break through the gums and become visible
detonate
To explode violently and noisily
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  1. To explode violently and noisily
  2. To cause (a bomb, dynamite, etc.) to explode
ricochet
To make a ricochet motion
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  1. To make a ricochet motion
  2. To rebound at least once from a surface.
Find another word for backfire. In this page you can discover 17 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for backfire, like: boomerang, recoil, rebound, bounce back, strike back, kick-back, fly back, spring-back, miscarry, boomerang and surprise.

Sentence Examples

  • A woman wants to know that a man has a decent career, but flashing money around just for the sake of showing off may backfire.

  • This will backfire so fiercely that you'll find yourself running to the hills screaming as though your hair were on fire.

  • Sneaking around trying to determine if your partner is cheating could backfire on you if he is not cheating.

  • backfire a bit that one with the spelling mistakes old chap.

  • Don't Fake a Connection: As social media expert Heidi Miller explains, pretending you know someone will not only fail as a connection technique, it will likely backfire and make your own reputation suffer.

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Words that mention backfire in the Dictionary

Words near backfire in the Thesaurus