broadside
Americannoun
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the whole side of a ship above the water line, from the bow to the quarter.
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Navy.
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all the guns that can be fired from one side of a warship.
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a simultaneous discharge of all the guns on one side of a warship.
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any strong or comprehensive attack, as by criticism.
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Also called broadsheet.
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a sheet of paper printed on one or both sides, as for distribution or posting.
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any printed advertising circular.
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any broad surface or side, as of a house.
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Also called broadside ballad. a song, chiefly in 16th- and 17th-century England, written on a topical subject, printed on broadsides, and sung in public, as on a street corner, by a professional balladeer.
adverb
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with the side, especially with the broader side, facing toward a given point or object.
The truck hit the fence broadside.
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in a wide-ranging manner; at random.
to attack the president's policies broadside.
verb (used without object)
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to proceed or go broadside.
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to fire a broadside or broadsides.
verb (used with object)
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to collide with or run into the side of (a vehicle, object, person, etc.).
We got broadsided on the freeway.
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to make concerted verbal attacks on.
The president was broadsided by the opposition.
noun
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nautical the entire side of a vessel, from stem to stern and from waterline to rail
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navy
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all the armament fired from one side of a warship
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the simultaneous discharge of such armament
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a strong or abusive verbal or written attack
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Also called: broadside ballad. a ballad or popular song printed on one side of a sheet of paper and sold by hawkers, esp in 16th-century England
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any standard size of paper before cutting or folding
demy broadside
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another name for broadsheet
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a large flat surface
the broadside of the barn
adverb
Etymology
Origin of broadside
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
That rare broadside is displayed alongside a more obscure document: the so-called Declaration of Dependence signed by 547 Loyalists, a reminder that political unanimity was elusive from the nation’s earliest days.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Bass strategist Douglas Herman responded to Monday’s results by issuing a broadside against Raman.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
There was no immediate reaction to the broadside from Downing Street, where aides insist Sir Keir has acted in the British national interest, with a sense of where British public opinion is.
From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2026
If he finds it to his benefit to launch another broadside against Petro, he won’t hesitate to do it.
From Salon ● Feb. 5, 2026
She signed the paper where the clerk pointed, tried to listen carefully to all his warnings about what the contract demanded, and stuffed the broadside that he handed her into her apron pocket.
From "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson
Meanwhile, here was a drama about humans living in a galaxy far, far away, broadsided by an enemy they didn’t take seriously enough.
From Salon ● May 5, 2026
“Yeah,” Mr. Macron mumbled, before being broadsided by a bunch of other questions.
From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2022
I’ve had several close encounters of being broadsided by unaware, careless and selfish drivers.
From Seattle Times ● May 20, 2022
“And then we got broadsided today,” Herman said.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 16, 2022
Mother, I see some very interesting persons here—a young master’s mate, who was on the Hatteras, when surprised and broadsided by the Alabama, Capt Semmes—he gave me a very good acc’t of it all—then Capt.
From The Wound Dresser A Series of Letters Written from the Hospitals in Washington during the War of the Rebellion by Walt Whitman
It slid off the end of the runway, broadsiding a steel tower that held landing lights.
From Time Magazine Archive
They blew past two of the plesios, Missy clobbering one with her tail and broadsiding the other, sending it and its riders collapsing into the water.
From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older
All he asked of anybody, by God! was to be let alone, though this broadsiding of defenseless people made him sick at the stummick, it did.
From Wild Justice: Stories of the South Seas by Lloyd Osbourne
Byng's Sea-fight, done with due dexterity of manoeuvring, and then with due emphasis of broadsiding, decisive of that absurd War, and almost the one creditable action in it, dates itself 10th August, 1718.
From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 04 by Thomas Carlyle
Around and around she veered, broadsiding with astonishing accuracy, and knocking the spars about like a foot-ball team kicking a ball.
From Famous Privateersmen and Adventurers of the Sea Their rovings, cruises, escapades, and fierce battling upon the ocean for patriotism and for treasure by Charles Haven Ladd Johnston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
