blowing up in one's face
Scheme going wrong
When something blows up in one's face, it backfires disastrously—a plan or action that was supposed to help instead causes harm to the person who initiated it.
The image is of an explosive detonating prematurely, injuring the one handling it rather than the intended target: His scheme to discredit his rival blew up in his face when the emails were traced back to him.
- backfireYield unintended consequences
- miscalculationError in estimation
- best laid plansThorough preparations that fail
- poetic justiceFitting outcome matching misdeeds
- regretSorrow over past actions
shot in the foot · boomerang effect · unintended consequences · frustration · embarrassment · egg on face · oversight · Murphy's Law · disappointment · anger · self-sabotage · risk-taking · own goal · humiliation · negligence · impulsiveness · shock · domino effect
blowing up in one's facepaying off
Producing desired results
working out · succeeding · panning out · coming together · bearing fruit