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Glite Dictionary
to backfire spectacularly

to backfire spectacularly

1 7.7
To fail in a way that makes things much worse
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : salir mal
  • All of this backfired spectacularly on Mangum and Nifong—neither of whom I feel sorry for.

The idea was sound, but it backfired spectacularly.

Examples

  • His plan to distract the audience backfired spectacularly when they lost interest in his presentation.

  • The company's efforts to improve customer service backfired spectacularly, leading to increased complaints instead of satisfaction.

  • When they tried to cut costs by reducing staff, it backfired spectacularly, causing delays in project delivery.

Synonyms

to go awry
vsto backfire spectacularly
21 5.3

To happen in a way that is not planned or expected

is a dramatic, surprising failure that produces an unwanted result
to flop
vsto backfire spectacularly
19 4.0

To end without success, often in public like a show

is more dramatic and surprising, producing unwanted consequences
to be a bomb
vsto backfire spectacularly
  • Slang
5 8.6

Fail completely so people see it does not work

is more about dramatic surprise and harm rather than mere embarrassment
to blow up in someone's face
vsto backfire spectacularly
  • Informal
1 7.9

A plan or action that fails suddenly and causes big problems for the person who planned it

is dramatic and surprising, causing an unexpected unwanted result

Antonyms

to thrive
241 3.2

To grow well and be successful

How Dramatic

to backfire spectacularly
1 7.7
to collapse
579 3.9
to misfire
1 4.3

Surface Forms

backfire spectacularly infinitive
backfired spectacularly past
backfired spectacularly past participle
backfiring spectacularly present participle
backfires spectacularly third person singular

Morphology

backfire + spectacularly

The verb 'backfire' already conveys 'to turn out badly' and the adverb 'spectacularly' adds a clear degree of failure ('dramatically'). This is a straightforward verb + adverb compositional pattern that a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily interpret.

Etymology

Backfire spectacularly comes from the image of an engine or gun that suddenly 'fires' backward, making a loud, sudden blast that can harm the person who set it off. So when something backfires spectacularly today, it 'fails' in a dramatic, surprising way and often makes the original plan much worse.