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.
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 The latest forecast track from the National Hurricane Center has the storm steering well clear of the Caribbean and Florida — and potentially even coming in to the east of Bermuda, sparing the island nation the full brunt of hurricane-force winds and rain. Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2025 The system is expected to start to show late Wednesday, with the brunt hitting on Thursday before tapering off Friday and into the weekend. Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 16 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 6 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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