backlash

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˈbæˌklæʃ/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    A strong and adverse reaction by a large number of people, especially to a social or political development.; The recoil or backward movement of a mechanism or part, especially the play between mating parts of a mechanical system such as gears.; A sudden violent backward movement or recoil, as of a whip, rope, or similar object.; In fishing, a tangle of line on a reel caused by the spool overrunning during a cast.
  2. verb
    To react strongly and adversely; to produce a backlash.; To recoil or snap back violently.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable / uncountable Plural: backlashes 3rd sing.: backlashes Past: backlashed Past part.: backlashed Pres part.: backlashing

Collocations

backlash againstface a backlashprovoke a backlashtrigger a backlashpublic backlashpolitical backlashbacklash from

Synonyms

reactionrecoilcounterreactionrepercussionretaliationkickback

Antonyms

supportacceptanceapproval

Commonly confused

backfire
EN: 'Backfire' means a plan produces an unintended negative result for the person who initiated it; 'backlash' is a strong negative reaction from others.
backtrack
EN: 'Backtrack' means to reverse one's own position or statement; 'backlash' is a negative response from others.

Spelling tips

EN: Write as one word ('backlash'), not as two words ('back lash') or hyphenated ('back-lash').

💬 Examples

  1. The new policy provoked a backlash from the public.

  2. The engineer measured the backlash between the gear teeth to ensure proper meshing.

  3. The backlash of the fishing line nearly hit him in the face.

  4. He got a terrible backlash on his baitcasting reel and spent twenty minutes untangling it.

  5. Voters backlashed against the incumbent party after the tax increase.

  6. The rope backlashed when the load was suddenly released.