bear the brunt

Idioms  

1. Put up with the worst of some bad circumstance, as in It was the secretary who had to bear the brunt of the doctor's anger. This idiom uses brunt in the sense of “the main force of an enemy's attack,” which was sustained by the front lines of the defenders. [Second half of 1700s]

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Example Sentences

“We bear the brunt of everything. This is really a layered tsunami of hurt.”

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026

Those farmers bear the brunt of soaring costs.

From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026

Families of those with dementia "bear the brunt" with little information or support, and people diagnosed with MND, whose life-expectancy is short, still face multiple assessments and means tests.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

Consumers in the U.K. continue to bear the brunt of a cost-of-living crisis gripping the country.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Walter had to bear the brunt of the cross-examination that Yutar had prepared for me.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• brave
• encounter
• experience
• face
• feel
• go through
• know
• ride out
• suffer
• sustain
• tolerate
• undergo
• weather
• withstand