backfired on him

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "backfired on him" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a situation where an action or plan has unintended negative consequences for the person who initiated it. Example: "His attempt to embarrass his colleague backfired on him when the entire office sided with her."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

The Simpson trial featured a ton of courtroom stunts, like the prosecutor attempting to get Simpson to try on bloody gloves from the murder scene (that one backfired on him) and the defense playing the "race card" by accusing one of the police officers of racism.

Huffington Post

The shitty atmosphere Tommy Robinson [third right] helped whip up backfired on him when one of his own men punched him in the face.

Vice

Pochettino's decision to rest his top scorer, Harry Kane, with one eye on Sunday's Capital One Cup final against Chelsea, has backfired on him – for now.

Independent

It was a different coping mechanism that backfired on him.

The New York Times

"But I think it has backfired on him".

The New York Times

But he made several questionable decisions that have backfired on him.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

"It's a good cause, but doing it at this time in this way may backfire on him". he said.

The New York Times

The CNN host said it "sounds like Donald Trump knows plenty about campaign finance, a fact that could certainly backfire on him". Police say they're investigating unsolved crimes.

HuffPost

His behaviour "has been very badly received [in the party], it is hurtful and might backfire on him one day".

The Economist

The trainer is running his horses honestly, but fears the information he imparts will backfire on him one day.

The Guardian - Sport

Might it backfire on him?

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the formality of your writing. While "backfired on him" is generally acceptable, more formal contexts might benefit from alternatives like "proved detrimental to him".

Common error

Avoid using "backfired on him" when the negative outcome was entirely predictable or a direct result of external factors unrelated to the subject's actions. The phrase implies a degree of unintended consequence arising from the subject's own actions or plans.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "backfired on him" functions as a phrasal verb indicating that an action or plan had an unintended and negative consequence for the person who initiated it. As demonstrated by Ludwig, it clearly conveys that things didn't go as planned.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Academia

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "backfired on him" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that someone's actions resulted in unintended negative consequences for themselves. As shown by Ludwig, it appears frequently in news and media, as well as academic contexts. While generally neutral, the phrase may benefit from more formal alternatives in certain contexts. Understanding the nuances of its usage, including avoiding its application when the outcome was entirely predictable, ensures clarity and impact in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

blew up in his face

More informal and suggests a sudden and dramatic failure.

boomeranged on him

Similiar to recoiled, suggests the action returned unexpectedly.

recoiled on him

Implies the action bounced back with negative force.

backlashed on him

Focuses on the negative reaction the action caused.

worked against him

Suggests the action inadvertently aided his opposition or caused him harm.

proved detrimental to him

More formal and emphasizes the damaging consequences.

brought him grief

Suggests the action caused sorrow or trouble.

became his undoing

Implies the action led to his downfall or ruin.

caused him problems

General term that denotes it created an issue for him.

turned sour for him

Describes it as something that started good, but ultimately turned negative.

FAQs

How can I use "backfired on him" in a sentence?

Use "backfired on him" to describe a situation where someone's action had an unintended negative outcome for themselves. For example, "His attempt to intimidate his opponent "backfired on him" when the opponent revealed damaging information about him."

What are some alternatives to "backfired on him"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "blew up in his face", "recoiled on him", or "worked against him" as alternatives to "backfired on him".

What is the nuance of "backfired on him"?

The phrase "backfired on him" suggests an action intended to produce a certain outcome, but instead yielded a negative result for the person who initiated it. It implies a degree of irony or unintended consequence.

Is "backfired on him" formal or informal?

"Backfired on him" is generally considered neutral in tone. While suitable for most general contexts, more formal writing might benefit from alternatives with greater specificity or formality.