Backfire (on someone)

Meaning of Idiom ‘To Backfire (on someone)’

When a plot, plan, project, situation, or idea backfires, unexpectedly produces a bad result that harms the person carrying out the plot, plan, idea, etc.; a failure that results in an undesired result; to have the opposite result from what was intended.¹

Sentence Examples

“The company’s plan to influence legislation by donating to the environmental summit backfired when it exposed their horrible environmental abuses.”

“I was sure Ted’s plan was going to backfire but amazingly, it worked.”

“We’ve agreed that information about the future can be extremely dangerous. Even if your intentions are good, it can backfire drastically.” — Back to the Future (1985)

“I don’t think we should exploit this. It could backfire.” — Godzilla (1998)

“All my plans have backfired! Instead of the people leaving, they’re staying in droves!”— Blazing Saddles (1974)

“So where are things?” “Nowhere. Everything we’ve tried is a dead end or has backfired.” — Manhunter (1986)

“You have got to be the worst advice-giver I know. I mean, not only is your advice terrible, but it just backfires at every turn.” — License to Wed (2007)

“Plan didn’t work. I guess it backfired.” “What plan?” “I purposely spilled beer on you to start a conversation.” — The Roommate (2011)

“I had a really traumatic experience in high school. I tried to help someone, and it backfired horribly.”— The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999)

“You need to let your guard down every once in a while.” “I tried. It backfired.” — Something New (2006)

“You want me to say it out loud, so I hear how stupid it sounds. Well, I don’t need to say it out loud to know it’s stupid, so your whole trick backfired.” — Baby Daddy (2012)

“You wanted to play Robin Hood. A good deed can backfire.” — Happenstance (2000)

Origin

The idiom ”backfire’ alludes to an explosion coming from the breach of a firearm, [thus moving backward] due to a blockage, etc., and harming the user instead of firing a bullet. Vehicles can also backfire, but this is not the source of the expression.

Used since at least the early 1900s.

More Idioms Starting with B

• Be in Someone’s Hair
• Beat a Dead Horse
• Be a 10, to
• Buck For Something
• Bottomless Pit

More Back Idioms

• Know Something Like the Back Of One’s Hand
• Run Back
• Behind Someone’s Back (to do something)
• Back Street and Back Alley
• Back in the Day
• Monkey On Your Back

More Fire Idioms

• Add Fuel to the Fire
• Surefire
• Too Many Irons in the Fire
• Catch Fire
• Out of the Frying Pan Into the Fire

This page contains one or more affiliate links. See full affiliate disclosure.

 

References

1. Spears, Richard A., and Luc Nisset. McGraw-Hill’s Essential American Idioms. McGraw-Hill Contemporary Learning, 2008.