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
Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Colbert lambasted the dinner hosts, too, suggesting Washington media protected the Bush administration.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
After her lawsuit was filed in district court, the judge ordered the government to facilitate Estrada Juarez’s return to the US, lambasting its legal arguments justifying her deportation in a scathing order.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Some lambasted the degeneracy of the modern language.
—Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lambaste
Cite this Entry
“Lambaste.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lambaste. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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lambaste
verb
