brunt

noun

ˈbrənt 

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 Russians

—Walter Lippmann

2

: the greater part : burden

Synonyms

• weight
• body
• bulk
• core
• majority
• burden
• chief

Examples of brunt in a Sentence

the brunt of the responsibility fell on her shoulders

Recent Examples on the Web

Workers, in particular, fear that any offloading of the burden to their employers will leave them ultimately bearing the brunt. —Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 9 Sep. 2025

Providers often bear the brunt, with every mispayment carrying downstream costs from staff burnout to compliance exposure and negative patient experiences. —Charles Wong, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025

With grocery costs rising, Alicia also worries about the recent cuts to Medicaid and how other foster children might bear the brunt. —Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 17 Aug. 2025

And the city’s poorest residents are bearing the brunt. —Jared Formanek, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing brunt

• the brunt of

Rhymes for brunt

• blunt
• bunt
• front
• grunt
• shunt
• stunt
• affront
• confront
• exeunt
• forefront
• lakefront
• manhunt

Kids Definition

brunt

noun

ˈbrənt 

: the main force or stress (as of an attack)

the brunt of the storm