noun

• 1in singular A strong and adverse reaction by a large number of people, especially to a social or political development.

  ‘a public backlash against racism’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Women have seen this development as a backlash against equality and democracy.’
  • ‘Today rogue animosity fuels a backlash against the development of the global economy and the spread of democracy.’
  • ‘They both maintained there would not be a political backlash against Labour in the next General Election.’
  • ‘Trust in the Prime Minister has collapsed, and that is prompting a backlash against all mainstream politicians.’
  • ‘The other Asian power, India, is - like Europe - facing a political backlash against economic globalisation.’
  • ‘Scripts submitted this year indicate that there is a backlash against the social realism which has dominated Scottish cinema.’
  • ‘Pilot schemes have shown this could work - but a backlash against modernity would drain the political will to achieve this.’
  • ‘A strong backlash among patients developed while the bill was being considered in the legislature.’
  • ‘In Melbourne there is a backlash against these types of guys, because they often have nothing intelligent to say.’
  • ‘He's concerned about creating a backlash against the military.’
  • ‘He argues a backlash against ‘multiculturalism’ has begun.’
  • ‘We've been told that Republican Party polling has showed huge support for Republicans and a backlash against the Democrats.’
  • ‘It led to a backlash against France and French visitors.’
  • ‘They can hardly be surprised when their own behavior provokes a backlash.’
  • ‘The reaction on the doorstep has been very positive and the Green Party is hopeful it will pick up on what it says is a backlash against the Government parties.’
  • ‘Politicians will face a severe public backlash if power shortages occur.’
  • ‘The anti-immigrant backlash of the last decade also has deep roots in the crisis of the post-war social contract.’
  • ‘Her family, who made a nice living running a business, feared anti-Semitic backlash.’
  • ‘Food producers and distributors expect a massive consumer backlash to labeled GM foods.’
  • ‘That's leading to a big consumer backlash and that definitely has to stop.’

  Synonyms

  adverse reaction, adverse response, counteraction, counterblast, comeback, recoil

  View synonyms

• 2Recoil arising between parts of a mechanism.

  More example sentences

  • ‘The trigger pull is adjustable for distance as well as for pull weight and backlash.’

  1. 2.1Degree of play between parts of a mechanism.
     More example sentences

     • ‘typical gearbox backlash in these systems is 2°’