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Synonyms

lash out

British  

verb

  1. to burst into or resort to verbal or physical attack

  2. informal to be extravagant, as in spending

"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
lash out Idioms  

  1. Make a sudden blow or fierce verbal attack. For example, The mule lashed out with its hind legs, or After listening to Dad's criticism of his driving, Arthur lashed out at him. [Second half of 1500s]

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.

Benjamin Samat, a French influencer living in Dubai, took to Instagram to lash out at "those who on social media are rejoicing that the French are going through this".

From Barron's • Mar. 1, 2026

"When Henry's dysregulated... he will lash out and he's not in control," she said.

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2025

Furious customers have even turned to Yelp, typically where you go to gripe about a soggy taco or brusque waiter, to lash out at the airline, which currently sits at 1.4 stars out of 5.

From Slate • Oct. 15, 2024

After a brief exchange with Selina Kyle at his nightclub, Oz Cobb, also known as the Penguin, can’t help but lash out that his attempts at kindness were rejected.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2024

My skull was going to split open if I didn’t lash out, if I didn’t channel that energy somehow.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

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.