boomerang

[US]/'buːməræŋ/
[UK]/'buməræŋ/
Frequency: Very High

Translation

n. (Australian) a curved flat piece of wood that can be thrown so as to return to the thrower; a situation in which something comes back to the person who started it
vi. (of a plan) to have an unexpected outcome

Example Sentences

misleading consumers about quality will eventually boomerang on a car-maker.

His plan to reduce the number of workers boomeranged on him.

The visitor can ponder over the boomerangs used by aborigines at the time of Cook.

She threw the boomerang and watched it return.

The boomerang came back to him unexpectedly.

He demonstrated how to throw a boomerang properly.

The boomerang whizzed through the air before circling back.

She caught the boomerang skillfully as it looped back around.

The boomerang is a traditional tool used by Australian Aboriginals.

He carved intricate designs onto his boomerang.

The boomerang is designed to return to the thrower.

Kids enjoy playing with boomerangs in the park.

The boomerang flew in a perfect arc before coming back.

Real-world Examples

When one astronaut threw a boomerang inside the International Space Station, it returned to him.

Source: Smart Life Encyclopedia

Oh, how did I know that was gonna boomerang back on me?

Source: Modern Family Season 9

Once again, the Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at Harry's head.

Source: 2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

We cannot have a boomerang. We cannot have something where we have to shut down again.

Source: PBS Interview Social Series

Since childhood, I was obsessed with anything that could fly really from boomerangs and paper airplanes.

Source: CNN 10 Student English December 2022 Collection

Could you theoretically kick a ball hard enough to make it boomerang all the way around back to you?

Source: Bilingual Edition of TED-Ed Selected Speeches

It looked like one big fat boomerang, very strange-looking prototype aircraft.

Source: Financial Times Podcast

What do you call a boomerang that doesn't come back?

Source: The Good Wife Season 5

It’s called … it looks like a boomerang.

Source: Pop culture

That is when the boomerang of kindness hits you back.

Source: Complete English Speech Collection

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