lambaste

verb

lam·baste (ˌ)lam-ˈbāst

-ˈbast

ˈlam-ˌbāst,

-ˌbast

variants or lambast

lambasted; lambasting; lambastes or lambasts

Synonyms of lambaste next

transitive verb

: to assault violently : beat, whip

: to attack verbally : censure

critics lambasted his performance

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

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

In the last few years, Boeing has faced a stream of lawsuits resulting in eye-watering payouts, been lambasted by airline CEOs for delivery delays of new craft, and begun a layoff process—all while negotiating strike action. —

Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024 Almost immediately, critics lambasted it as a privacy nightmare. —

Steven Levy, WIRED, 21 Nov. 2024 Many of the responses to those comments have brought up the possibility of IVF, while others have lambasted the users who posed the question for even asking. —

Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024 One piece of archival footage shows Stewart lambasting an employee behind the scenes for using a paring knife to cut an orange for Easter brunch. —

Constance Grady, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lambaste