backlash
noun
back·lash
| \ ˈbak-ˌlash
\
\
Definition of backlash
1a
: a sudden violent backward movement or reaction
b
: the play between adjacent movable parts (as in a series of gears)
also
: the jar caused by this when the parts are put into action
2
: a snarl in that part of a fishing line wound on the reel
3
: a strong adverse reaction (as to a recent political or social development)
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Examples of backlash in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2012, the countries nearly forged a similar deal but it was scrapped at the last minute following a vehement backlash in South Korea. — Washington Post, "S. Korea cancels Japan intelligence deal amid trade dispute," 24 Aug. 2019 Trump's edict provoked backlash on Twitter and in the press from U.S. business executives. — Fortune, "Can Trump ‘Order’ US Firms Out of China? Should He? — CEO Daily," 24 Aug. 2019 Should people in Eilish's camp be worried about a Cross-like backlash? — Paul Grein, Billboard, "Christopher Cross' Grammy Sweep Triggered a Backlash: Should Billie Eilish Be Concerned?," 23 Aug. 2019 Swift received plenty of support — and backlash — for calling out the pair. — Helen Murphy, PEOPLE.com, "Scooter Braun Congratulates Taylor Swift on 'Brilliant' New Album Lover After Drama," 23 Aug. 2019 The backlash has pushed several celebrities to speak out in defense of Harry and Meghan. — Laura Hanrahan, Woman's Day, "Prince William and Kate Middleton Flew On Budget Airline After Blowback Over Harry and Megan's Private Jet Use," 23 Aug. 2019 States across the country have re-evaluated their relationships to standardized exams in recent years, as a backlash to these tests has swelled in both liberal and conservative cities and towns. — Eliza Shapiro, New York Times, "City School Test Scores Inch Up, but Less Than Half of Students Pass," 22 Aug. 2019 Jessica Mulroney, one of Meghan Markle's longtime close friends, is calling out critics of the duchess following backlash targeted at the royal and her husband, Prince Harry. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle's Best Friend, Jessica Mulroney, Calls Out "Racist Bullies" on Instagram," 21 Aug. 2019 In the latter year, public backlash prompted the state-run system’s regents to vote to cap the share of non-California students at 18%. — Max Londberg, Cincinnati.com, "Share of Ohioans enrolled in incoming classes at some state-run colleges has decreased. Why?," 20 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'backlash.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for backlash
backlash
noun
English Language Learners Definition of backlash
: a strong public reaction against something
See the full definition for backlash in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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