as in reaction
a strong public response against something
There was swift backlash to the senator's controversial comments.
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Recent Examples of backlash
Ricky Gervais is facing backlash after weighing in on the death of Ernie Dosio — a 75-year-old big game hunter who was killed by a herd of elephants during a hunting trip in Africa.
—
Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
Kimmel addressed the backlash during the Monday taping of his late-night show.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 28 Apr. 2026
City plan to offer no help sparked backlash Young’s push for the plan came shortly after Spring Hill jumped into recovery late following storms earlier this month.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
The proposal won the support of clubs and was voted through with a majority, but ultimately had to be abandoned after a backlash from supporters.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backlash
Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
Kimmel addressed the backlash during the Monday taping of his late-night show.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 28 Apr. 2026
City plan to offer no help sparked backlash Young’s push for the plan came shortly after Spring Hill jumped into recovery late following storms earlier this month.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
The proposal won the support of clubs and was voted through with a majority, but ultimately had to be abandoned after a backlash from supporters.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backlash
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backlash
reaction
Noun
-
His emotional reaction to the announcement of his name was caught on camera during the draft telecast.—
Steve Megargee,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
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That’s not a recent mandate or a reaction to last year, when the Ravens didn’t always look like the most physical team on the field.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backlash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backlash. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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