# boomerang

/ˈbumɝˌæŋ/ (US) · /bˈuːməɹˌæŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/boomerang
Updated: 2026-05-09

## Definition

a curved wooden tool that you throw, which is designed to fly in a circle and come back to you. It is also used to describe a plan or action that returns to harm the person who started it.

For teachers: a curved, flat implement designed to return to the thrower when launched into the air. Often used metaphorically to describe a scheme or action that recoils upon its originator.

## Examples

- He threw the boomerang and caught it as it returned.
- The politician's aggressive smear campaign acted like a boomerang, damaging his own reputation more than his opponent's.
- While traditionally an Australian hunting tool, the boomerang has become a global symbol of cyclical return, frequently appearing in literature to represent the inescapable consequences of one's past actions.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used as a modifier in 'boomerang effect' to describe a result opposite to the one intended.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.