hatchet job

noun

Definition of hatchet jobnext
as in criticism

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hatchet job No amount of mainstream media hatchet jobs can disguise those optics. — David Medina, Hartford Courant, 18 Nov. 2024 Later, the scene is recut as a hatchet job on social media that leads to Tár’s downfall. — Jordan Riefe, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2023 This hatchet job does not follow the rules of law, has no analysis or actual auditing done to support actions and tramples on the rights of government employees. — Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025 Neither hagiography nor hatchet job, the movie casts an understanding eye on a once-infamous musical artist who weathered dizzying highs and devastating lows. — Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2024 Trump supporters say the potential prosecution is a politically motivated hatchet job disconnected from the law. — Joseph Morton, Dallas News, 22 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hatchet job
  1. criticism
  2. attack
  3. denunciation
  4. censure
  5. abuse
  6. contempt
  7. disdain
  8. invective
Noun
  • The legislation faced sharp criticism at home and abroad, and thousands of Slovaks repeatedly took to the streets to protest the law.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
  • Asked about the greenwashing criticism, a Council spokesperson said companies active in the fossil fuel sector can still contribute to the transition, for example by developing low-carbon fuels or building electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
    — Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of criticism
Noun
  • This appears to be one of Kyiv's deepest attacks on Russian territory since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
    — Justina Lee, CNBC, 8 July 2026
  • Iranian state television said the tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings but did not directly claim the assault.
    — Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • The bicentennial occurred during an election year, with all the partisan denunciations that entails (though when Jimmy Carter narrowly beat Ford, no one thought of contesting the results).
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Three words The lengthiest denunciation of Tyndale’s translation came from More, the English humanist who was King Henry VIII’s leading political official.
    — Michael Bruening, The Conversation, 30 June 2026
Definition of denunciation
Noun
  • After the censure on Monday, Hulsey again tried to exclude the city administrator from council business when the governing body went into executive session.
    — Rachel Royster July 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026
  • The escalation should start with a warning from the chair, followed by a motion of the board of censure (asking the owner to quiet down), followed by a motion to eject the offending owner from the meeting.
    — Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2026
Definition of censure
Noun
  • Melvin Shimkus, 52, was arrested on a charge of vulnerable adult abuse after allegedly leaving his 31-year-old son, Hunter Shimkus, in a bathtub for seven weeks, according to local outlets, AZ Family, 12 News and Fox 10 TV, citing court documents.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • There was a sense of hope in 2022 for women like Nakajima, an immigrant who sought safety in a new country and struggled with abuse from her family and strange men.
    — Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of abuse
Noun
  • Criminal charges from contempt of Congress referrals are rare.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
  • One of the joys of Air, down to the breathy purity of its title, is its contempt for design—an easy target, but one for which Kracht has sharpened his blade.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Definition of contempt
Noun
  • At this point, the widespread disdain shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 2 July 2026
  • But more than using any specific set of policies as a litmus test, Democratic voters appear drawn to the candidates who most radiate disdain for the status quo.
    — Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026
Definition of disdain
Noun
  • His followers responded with a steady stream of invective, describing Atkin and Jammi in misogynistic and, at times, dehumanizing language.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
  • The online pile-on, often expressed through personal invective.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026
Definition of invective

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Cite this Entry

“Hatchet job.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hatchet%20job. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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