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:
Days before filing his lawsuit, Sun issued a lengthy broadside against WLF on X, labeling the firm “World Tyranny” Financial.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2026
The Dunlap broadside was a broadside in a figurative sense as well as a literal one, blasting its message like cannons fired from the side of a warship.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 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
Much harden The water was running out against him, and every whitecap that struck him broadside sent water into the bottom of the boat.
From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt
According to police, the Toyota Camry was attempting to make a left turn from West 78th Street to Crenshaw Boulevard when it was broadsided by the driver of the black BMW.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
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
When she was 16 and “a car broadsided me while I was on my bike,” her injuries were “really, really painful.”
From Washington Post ● Jan. 19, 2022
His wife Neilia and 13-month-old daughter Naomi died after their car was broadsided while they were en route to pick up a Christmas tree.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 18, 2021
From the earliest moment that the dew would permit operations until the stooks stood eerie and indistinct in the thickening dusk the boys broadsided their two binders into the ranks of the standing grain.
From The Bail Jumper by Robert J. C. Stead
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
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
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
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