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ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

backlash.

A suddenly reversed or backward motion, such as of a rope or elastic band when it snaps under tension.

8 characters2 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/ˈbækˌlæʃ/
  1. A suddenly reversed or backward motion, such as of a rope or elastic band when it snaps under tension.

    countable · uncountable
  2. A negative reaction, objection or outcry, especially of a violent or abrupt nature.

    countable · figuratively · uncountable
    The public backlash to the proposal was quick and insistent.
  3. The looseness through which one part of connected machinery, such as a wheel, gear, piston, or screw, can be moved without moving the connected parts, or a measurement of the distance moved thereby; either intentional (as allowance) or unintentional (from error or wear).

    countable · uncountable
  4. The jarring or reflex motion caused in badly fitting machinery by irregularities in velocity or a reverse of motion.

    countable · uncountable
Where this word comes from

From back- + lash.

verb/ˈbækˌlæʃ/
  1. To perform a backlash, to lash back in reaction to some cause.

Where this word comes from

From back- + lash.

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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.