receiving end

American  

noun

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of receiving end

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

receiving end

As a single, childless woman, I’ve also been on the receiving end of some petty remarks about how “easy” my life must be because I don’t have any “real” responsibilities.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 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

Life was even looking up on the boyfriend front—for the last couple of days I’d been on the receiving end of some intense glances from Martin Enfield, a senior on the lacrosse team.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman