backlash
noun
back·lash
ˈbak-ˌlash 
1
a
: a sudden violent backward movement or reaction
b
: the play between adjacent movable parts (as in a series of gears)
also
: the jar caused by this when the parts are put into action
2
: a snarl in that part of a fishing line wound on the reel
3
: a strong adverse reaction (as to a recent political or social development)
backlasher
noun
Examples of backlash in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The comedian landed the gig and then later was forced to step down when backlash began over old homophobic jokes.
—
Megan Vick, EW.com, 23 Apr. 2024
Zakaria tells the epic story of the upheavals, breakthroughs, backlashes, and transformations that marked the rise of Western liberalism and industrial modernity, looking for insights to explain today’s fraught global moment.
—Fareed Zakaria, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Biden to speak at Morehouse commencement, risking backlash as campus protests over Gaza grow
NYU protest with union presence rips arrests, school president
An NYU protest kicked off midafternoon in lower Manhattan's Washington Square Park, a quasi-center for university life.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024
Newsom and legislative leaders sensed the backlash and quickly revived and enacted the bill.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
The move has triggered backlash from other states and pro-Palestinian groups, as global divisions continue to sharpen over Israel’s war on Gaza.
—Koh Ewe, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024
And some of the network’s former actors have faced backlash for simply not speaking up—whether in solidarity with Bell or to publicly share their own negative experiences.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 18 Apr. 2024
The decision is expected to draw an angry backlash from Alaska’s two U.S. senators, both Republican, and its sole member of Congress, a Democrat, all of whom support the road.
—Lisa Friedman, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
However, the internet backlash Southwest initially faced underscores just how protective fliers are over their legroom—what's left of it, that is.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2024
Megan Vick, EW.com, 23 Apr. 2024
Zakaria tells the epic story of the upheavals, breakthroughs, backlashes, and transformations that marked the rise of Western liberalism and industrial modernity, looking for insights to explain today’s fraught global moment.
—Fareed Zakaria, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Biden to speak at Morehouse commencement, risking backlash as campus protests over Gaza grow
NYU protest with union presence rips arrests, school president
An NYU protest kicked off midafternoon in lower Manhattan's Washington Square Park, a quasi-center for university life.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024
Newsom and legislative leaders sensed the backlash and quickly revived and enacted the bill.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
The move has triggered backlash from other states and pro-Palestinian groups, as global divisions continue to sharpen over Israel’s war on Gaza.
—Koh Ewe, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024
And some of the network’s former actors have faced backlash for simply not speaking up—whether in solidarity with Bell or to publicly share their own negative experiences.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 18 Apr. 2024
The decision is expected to draw an angry backlash from Alaska’s two U.S. senators, both Republican, and its sole member of Congress, a Democrat, all of whom support the road.
—Lisa Friedman, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
However, the internet backlash Southwest initially faced underscores just how protective fliers are over their legroom—what's left of it, that is.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backlash.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Backlash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backlash. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
backlash
noun
back·lash
ˈbak-ˌlash
: a reaction against some political or social development
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