lambaste
verb
-ˈbast
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
Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2025
Audiard’s film has been lambasted for its director’s reportedly limited location research and an overarching lack of authenticity when portraying Mexican life.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2025
The film has been widely lambasted by Mexican journalists, critics, and other industry professionals, with the New York Times recently reporting that the film bombed when it was released in the country.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 3 Mar. 2025
That was the case in the 1930s, when Republican leaders lambasted the New Deal as Bolshevism-lite.
—Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lambaste
Cite this Entry
“Lambaste.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lambaste. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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lambaste
verb
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