Phrasal verb
lash out against
Definition
phrasal verb. to attack or criticize someone or something suddenly and angrily.
phrasal verb. to strike or attack suddenly and violently; to criticize or condemn forcefully, often in response to provocation; transitive, typically followed by a person or thing being attacked.
Examples
“He lashed out against the criticism.”
“After the argument, she lashed out against her colleague in front of everyone.”
“The politician's harsh speech was a clear sign that he had lashed out against the opposition's recent policies.”
Examples
simple
“He lashed out against the criticism.”
contextual
“After the argument, she lashed out against her colleague in front of everyone.”
complex
“The politician's harsh speech was a clear sign that he had lashed out against the opposition's recent policies.”
Usage
typically followed by a person or thing being attacked or criticized.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'react to' (more neutral) and 'condemn' (more formal); 'lash out against' implies sudden, emotional aggression rather than calculated criticism.
Pitfall
He lashed out of the critic.
He lashed out against the critic.
'against' is the required preposition — 'out of' would mean a different action entirely.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out against
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
lash + out + against + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/lash-out-against