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:
Bass strategist Douglas Herman responded to Monday’s results by issuing a broadside against Raman.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
Congress sent him a Dunlap broadside shortly after its publication.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 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
Mohamed Salah has been welcomed back from the Africa Cup of Nations with open arms due to a lack of firepower up front despite his public broadside towards Slot last month.
From Barron's ● Jan. 25, 2026
I could see her broadside on from here, the red underwater section showing against the black of the top-sides, and the single funnel leaning rakishly towards the cliffs beyond.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
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
“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
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 Stead, Robert J. C.
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 Osbourne, Lloyd
When the ships had swung apart, the broadsiding continued, increasingly to the advantage of the Serapis.
From Paul Jones by Hapgood, Hutchins
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 Johnston, Charles Haven Ladd
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.
