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
Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 July 2025
The older sister lambasted Tellez over the phone before calling the Miami Police Department and reporting the crime.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 July 2025
Trump, after all, spent his entire presidential campaign lambasting Joe Biden’s Ukraine policy as ineffective, dangerously escalatory and a waste of American taxpayer money.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 15 July 2025
Cuomo and other moderate critics of Mamdani have lambasted his promises as unrealistic, along with saying his positions on Gaza and Palestinians smack of antisemitism.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 14 July 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 22 Jul. 2025.
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lambaste
verb
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