brickbat

noun

brick·​bat ˈbrik-ˌbat How to pronounce brickbat (audio)
1
: a fragment of a hard material (such as a brick)
especially : one used as a missile
2
: an uncomplimentary remark

Examples of brickbat in a Sentence

The candidates resorted to hurling brickbats at one another. For all the brickbats it has received, it's a good plan.
Recent Examples on the Web India has faced brickbats for not testing enough despite the emphasis laid by the World Health Organisation. Niharika Sharma, Quartz India, 22 Mar. 2020 His popularity has survived brickbats and thrived despite personal woes. Matthew Daly, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Feb. 2020 Kudos and brickbats Padukone’s bold move to visit JNU has been lauded across the board, except by right-wing supporters. Manavi Kapur, Quartz India, 7 Jan. 2020 The task has made him a target of brickbats from some elements of the Republican party, including President Trump, who see the Mueller investigation as tainted by political bias. Sadie Gurman, WSJ, 19 Oct. 2018 Mr Johnson is hyper-sensitive to the brickbats of the liberal elite into which he was born, and sulked after the referendum when his neighbours in Islington turned against him. Boris Johnson, The Economist, 4 July 2019 And Mr Biden may not be up to dealing with the brickbats this guarantees him. Lexington | Washington, The Economist, 28 June 2019 Lenny, who was accustomed to brickbats, picked himself up and kept his conducting dates, but Jamie believes that Felicia, suffering from public humiliation, was never the same. David Denby, The New Yorker, 16 June 2018 Years of critical brickbats toughened Albee’s already tough hide and taught him to trust only himself. Jesse Green, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brickbat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

brick + bat entry 1 (lump, fragment)

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brickbat was in 1563

Dictionary Entries Near brickbat

Cite this Entry

“Brickbat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brickbat. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

brickbat

noun
brick·​bat ˈbrik-ˌbat How to pronounce brickbat (audio)
: a piece of a hard material (as a brick)
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