1
: the principal force, shock, or stress (as of an attack)
bear the brunt of the storm
the brunt of the struggle with the German army fell upon the RussiansWalter Lippmann
2
: the greater part : burden

Examples of brunt in a Sentence

the brunt of the responsibility fell on her shoulders
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.
Without this hazy atmosphere, Pluto’s volatile glaciers would have encountered the full brunt of the sun and frittered away into oblivion. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024 Everyone was really concerned about Florida and the Big Bend and Tallahassee, and rightly so, because everyone primarily looks at where the eye of the storm is going and then looking at those initial brunt forces and the impacts. Umair Irfan, Vox, 8 Oct. 2024 What is clear at this is that the civilian population is bearing the brunt even beyond the bloodshed. Letta Tayler, Foreign Affairs, 26 Sep. 2011 Asheville bears brunt of 'heartbreaking'devastation On Sunday, officials in western North Carolina continued to search for flood victims. Will Hofmann, USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for brunt 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brunt was in 1769

Dictionary Entries Near brunt

Cite this Entry

“Brunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brunt. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

brunt

noun
: the main force or stress (as of an attack)
the brunt of the storm

More from Merriam-Webster on brunt

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