lambaste
verb
-ˈbast
Did you know?
The origins of lambaste (which can also be spelled lambast) are somewhat uncertain, but the word was most likely formed by combining the verbs lam and baste, both of which mean “to beat severely.” (This baste is unrelated to either the sewing or cooking one.) Although lambaste started out in the 1600s meaning “to assault violently,” English speakers were by the 1800s applying it in cases involving harsh attacks made with words rather than fists. This new sense clearly struck a chord; after fighting its way into the lexicon, lambaste has held fast ever since.
Examples of lambaste in a Sentence
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
The suit also lambasted school board members for publicly naming and calling out Orbison for her post, saying that violates the district's code of conduct.
—Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean, 15 Oct. 2025
The film was released to disappointing box office numbers, and Berkley was personally lambasted in the press.
—Kristen O'Brien, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
The defending Super Bowl champs went to New York and got lambasted by the upstart Giants, led by running back Cam Skattebo, 34-17.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lambaste
Cite this Entry
“Lambaste.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lambaste. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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lambaste
verb
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