World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesBackfire
/ˈbækˌfaɪər/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
To have the opposite result of what was intended.
"His plan to trick his colleagues backfired and he ended up looking foolish."
- 1
An undesired, unexpected, and opposite result of a plan or action.
"The strict new policy turned out to be a complete backfire for management."
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the mechanical term describing an early or premature explosion in the cylinder of an internal combustion engine, originating in the late 19th century. By the early 20th century, the term underwent a metaphorical shift to describe plans, actions, or strategies that produce the exact opposite, undesirable result of what was intended.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Backfire"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Backfire" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
se retourner contre quelqu'un
Transliteration: se retourner contre quelqu'un
"Son plan s'est retourné contre lui."
nach hinten losgehen
Transliteration: nach hinten losgehen
"Sein Plan ging nach hinten los."
avere un effetto boomerang
Transliteration: avere un effetto boomerang
"Il suo piano ha avuto un effetto boomerang."
salir el tiro por la culata
Transliteration: salir el tiro por la culata
"Su plan le salió el tiro por la culata."
sair pela culatra
Transliteration: sair pela culatra
"O plano dele acabou saindo pela culatra."
उल्टा पड़ना
Transliteration: ulta padna
"उसकी योजना उसी पर उल्टी पड़ गई।"
适得其反
Transliteration: shì dé qí fǎn
"他的计划最后适得其反。"
역효과를 내다
Transliteration: yeokhyogwareul naeda
"그의 계획은 결국 역효과를 냈다."
裏目に出る
Transliteration: urameni deru
"彼の作戦は裏目に出てしまった。"
Related Vocabulary Words to Explore
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A secondary residence owned or rented by a family or individual, used primarily for recreational purposes, holidays, or seasonal getaways.
Not producing or containing venom; incapable of injecting poison through a bite, sting, or other mechanism.
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