flak

noun

variants or less commonly flack
plural flak also flack
1
: antiaircraft guns
2
: the bursting shells fired from flak
3
: criticism, opposition
She has taken a good deal of flak for espousing that view.E. J. Kahn, Jr.
When I was a restaurant bar manager I sometimes found myself taking flak from my customers for our high prices …Rob Hill

Examples of flak in a Sentence

He caught heavy flak for his decision to oppose the new school. He took a lot of flak from the other kids for his unusual appearance.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While praised for creating a functional home and workplace, Roosevelt’s overhaul drew flak for discarding the original Victorian interiors in favor of a starker neoclassical style. Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025 Slowing the construction of new factories also has drawn flak from politicians who are looking to foster domestic manufacturing. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025 Rhythmic-format airplay is the draw for anyone weathering flak for collaborating with him. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025 Inevitably, the clubs’ owners RedBird and Oaktree will come in for the same flak every American investor has faced when attempting to break ground and build a new stadium in Italy. James Horncastle, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flak

Word History

Etymology

German, from Fliegerabwehrkanonen, from Flieger flyer + Abwehr defense + Kanonen cannons

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flak was in 1938

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flak. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

flak

noun
variants also flack
ˈflak
plural flak also flack
1
: antiaircraft guns or the bursting shells fired from them
2
: severe criticism
Etymology

derived from the German word for "antiaircraft guns," from the first letters of Flieger "flier" and Abwehr "defense" and Kanonen "cannons"

More from Merriam-Webster on flak

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