Definition of LAMBAST

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The origins of lambaste are somewhat uncertain, but the word was most likely formed by combining the verbs lam and baste, both of which mean "to beat severely." (Incidentally, lambaste can also be spelled lambast, despite the modern spelling of the verb baste.) Some other synonyms of lambaste include pummel, thrash, and pound. Pummel suggests beating with one's fists ("the bully pummeled the smaller child until teachers intervened"). Pound also suggests heavy blows, though perhaps not quite so much as pummel, and may imply a continuous rain of blows ("she pounded on the door"). Thrash means to strike repeatedly and thoroughly as if with a whip ("the boxer thrashed his opponent").

Examples of lambaste in a Sentence

The coach lambasted the team for its poor play. They wrote several letters lambasting the new law.

Recent Examples on the Web

But when Sedgwick proceeded to lambaste Darwin in public, the mild-mannered Henslow pulled him back. — Christoph Irmscher, WSJ, "‘The Spirit of Inquiry’ Review: Inventing the Scientist," 28 June 2019 This is the same Partnership that once lobbied behind the scenes in Washington to kill Cape Wind, and helped pay for full-page newspaper ads to publicly lambaste it. — Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, "Powerful business group adds climate change to its priorities," 13 June 2019 Italy’s political leaders continue to lambaste EU officials tasked with enforcing the bloc’s fiscal rulebook. — Marcus Walker, WSJ, "The Achilles’ Heel for Italy’s Populists: Weak Banks," 5 Oct. 2018 When the European Central Bank or the International Monetary Fund release dry assessments of fiscal risks, Mr. Salvini and his peers gleefully take to social media and lambaste them in colorful terms. — Giovanni Legorano, WSJ, "Italy’s New Masters Rattle EU, But Ordinary Italians Say ‘Benissimo’," 17 Nov. 2018 In true 2018 fashion, #BoycottABC crossed the aisle, becoming a way for right-wing accounts to lambaste ABC for censoring their new celebrity spokesperson. — Emma Grey Ellis And Justice Namaste, WIRED, "Canceling Roseanne Wasn't About Conviction—It Was About Capital," 30 May 2018 On April 20, the president took to Twitter to lambaste the cartel's push for higher prices. — Houston Chronicle, "Under pressure from Trump, Saudis put brakes on oil price rally," 25 May 2018 Republicans often lambaste federal bureaucrats for substituting their judgement for that of a child’s parents; and yet, this proposal would ostensibly force some parents to accept groceries that their children are allergic to. — Eric Levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Wants to Replace Food Stamps With Food Boxes," 13 Feb. 2018 Comedians and others have defended Wolf’s routine in recent days, lauding her routine and her efforts to lambaste both sides of the aisle and the news media – along with the Trump Administration. — Jennifer Calfas, Time, "'I Wouldn't Change a Single Word.' Michelle Wolf Responds to Backlash Over White House Correspondents Dinner," 1 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lambaste.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.