like a ton of bricks

Idioms

Very heavily, without subtlety. For example, If he doesn't like your work, he'll come down on you like a ton of bricks. This expression, often coupled with come down on (def. 1), replaced the earlier thousand of brick or hundred of brick. The allusion in all these is to the considerable weight of such a load. [Early 1900s]

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.

Earnings and revenue crushed estimates, but DoorDash’s plans to invest “several hundred million dollars” next year in technology and new initiatives fell like a ton of bricks.

From Barron's • Nov. 14, 2025

Reading her words, remorse hits like a ton of bricks.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2025

"You knew what was expected - fair and accurate reporting. Anything else and he came down on top of you like a ton of bricks," he added.

From BBC • Jan. 24, 2024

While there, I took a long gaze at the beach, and it hit me like a ton of bricks — you deserve to eat everything in sight.

From Salon • Jul. 26, 2023

“I know you feel like a ton of bricks have been lifted from you.”

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023