flak
or flack
[ flak ]
/ flæk /
Save This Word!
noun
antiaircraft fire, especially as experienced by the crews of combat airplanes at which the fire is directed.
criticism; hostile reaction; abuse: Such an unpopular decision is bound to draw a lot of flak from the press.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!
In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”
Question 1 of 7
The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.
Origin of flak
1935–40; <German Fl(ieger)a(bwehr)k(anone) antiaircraft gun, equivalent to Flieger aircraft (literally, flyer) + Abwehr defense + Kanone gun, cannon
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH flak
flack, flakWords nearby flak
Flaherty, flail, flail chest, flail joint, flair, flak, flake, flakeboard, flakelet, flake out, flake tool
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for flak
Why Do “Left” And “Right” Mean Liberal And Conservative?
“Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time
“Effectiveness” vs. “Efficacy” vs. “Efficiency”: When To Use Each Word For The Best Results
What Is The Difference Between “It’s” And “Its”?
What Is “GOP” Short For?
Wild Weather Words You Need To Know
British Dictionary definitions for flak
flak
flack
/ (flæk) /
noun
anti-aircraft fire or artillery
informal a great deal of adverse criticism
Word Origin for flak
C20: from German Fl (ieger) a (bwehr) k (anone), literally: aircraft defence gun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012