flak

noun

ˈflak How to pronounce flak (audio)
variants or less commonly
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.
San Francisco’s offense took deserved flak after scoring just one run in its first three games, but the Giants were outplayed in every facet of the game. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2026 Derik Queen, whom the New Orleans Pelicans received a lot of flak for trading up for, is first among all bigs in this measure. — Mat Issa, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2026 In that same light, McIlroy, Lowry, or any other player is absolutely entitled to share their opinions of a setup, and outside of an egregious statement, shouldn't take flak. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026 The New Zealander has been on the receiving end of some social media flak this week after a viral video from TMZ swept X on Monday. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 May 2026 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

Phrases Containing flak

Rhymes for flak

See All Rhymes for flak

Browse Nearby Words

flajolotite
flak
flak curtain
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flak. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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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

Nglish: Translation of flak for Spanish Speakers

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