noun

• 1A piece of brick, typically when used as a weapon.

  ‘he had received a blow with a brickbat’

  More example sentences

  • ‘The park was a chaos of frenzied movement, bodies launching over the fence, brickbats and clubs swinging.’
  • ‘She wore outfits of bright green, and hurled arguments about like brickbats.’
  • ‘We'd nip at the opposing forces heels, dodging their boots and fists, not to mention brickbats and clubs.’
  • ‘Others hurled brickbats supplied to them by boys who had mounted a wall.’

  1. 1.1A remark or comment which is highly critical and typically insulting.
     ‘the plaudits were beginning to outnumber the brickbats’
     More example sentences

     • ‘As an album, it's slightly better than the kneejerk brickbats would have you believe.’
     • ‘I'm always happy to hear from readers, whether they're delivering brickbats, bouquets or news tip-offs.’
     • ‘It was the subject of appreciation and brickbats; of Letters to the Editor and newspaper cartoons.’
     • ‘His career has suffered and he has received many brickbats and few bouquets.’
     • ‘The company will have to do much better than this, if it is to avoid brickbats and lawsuits in the future.’
     Synonyms

     diatribe, invective, polemic, denunciation, rant, broadside, attack, harangue, verbal onslaught