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receiving end

American

noun

the position in which one is subject to some kind of action or effect, especially an unpleasant one (usually used in the phrase at oron the receiving end ).

The corporation is on the receiving end of many complaints about its advertising.

Etymology

Origin of receiving end

First recorded in 1930–35

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:

receiving end

Microsoft’s “responsible” commentary on artificial-intelligence investments seems like good news for the companies on the receiving end of that spending.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026

The company that got hacked by a rogue version of ChatGPT has revealed what it was like to be on the receiving end of the world's first fully-autonomous AI hack.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

But more often, people on the receiving end just feel like something is . . . off.

From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2026

This time, it was on the receiving end, offloading oil from the Iran-flagged Derya, one of the last tankers to cross the Strait of Hormuz around the time the blockade began.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

I understand why you can't be on the receiving end of these updates anymore, and i'll respect your decision, but I'll miss you.

From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth

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