1
: the principal force, shock, or stress (as of an attack)
bear the brunt of the storm
the brunt of the struggle with the German army fell upon the RussiansWalter Lippmann
2
: the greater part : burden

Examples of brunt in a Sentence

the brunt of the responsibility fell on her shoulders
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While Cipher interrogated and manipulated Polarity to find Marie’s whereabouts, Marie, Jordan (London Thor and Derek Luh), Emma (Lizze Broadway), Sam, Cate (Maddie Phillips) and Annabeth faced the full brunt of Vikor (Tait Fletcher), who was sent by Cipher to retrieve Cipher’s favorite. Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025 That ended up meaning that the performances had a huge brunt to bear in terms of communicating not just 20 years but these entire lives within this moment in the present. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2025 With roles reversed from previous shutdowns, Democrats could bear the brunt. Benjamin Siegel, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025 The first effects from the storm could reach the Southeast as early as Monday, with coastal areas of eastern Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas expected to experience brunt of the storm’s impacts. Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for brunt

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brunt was in 1769

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brunt. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

brunt

noun
: the main force or stress (as of an attack)
the brunt of the storm
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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