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
The victory prompted a reactionary backlash in France, most prominently from far-right politician Marion Maréchal, niece of the National Rally standard-bearer Marine Le Pen and granddaughter of the movement’s late founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen.
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Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Jan. 2025
This week, a Pacific Palisades homeowner received backlash for putting a call out on X, the social media site formerly named Twitter, for help finding private firefighters who could save his home.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
The music video may cause initial backlash among those concerned about propagating mental health stigmas by featuring images of a person in a straitjacket.
—Ingrid Fajardo, Billboard, 10 Jan. 2025
The Challenge season 40 had no shortage of controversies, and the final daily challenge sparked backlash yet again from cast members and viewers alike when Jenny West's puzzle appeared to have two pieces in the wrong spot when she was declared the winner.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for backlash 
Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Jan. 2025
This week, a Pacific Palisades homeowner received backlash for putting a call out on X, the social media site formerly named Twitter, for help finding private firefighters who could save his home.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
The music video may cause initial backlash among those concerned about propagating mental health stigmas by featuring images of a person in a straitjacket.
—Ingrid Fajardo, Billboard, 10 Jan. 2025
The Challenge season 40 had no shortage of controversies, and the final daily challenge sparked backlash yet again from cast members and viewers alike when Jenny West's puzzle appeared to have two pieces in the wrong spot when she was declared the winner.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for backlash
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Cite this Entry
“Backlash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backlash. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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