Bear, take, etc. the brunt of something
verb phrase
To suffer the most harm or damage from an event, action or situation.
The coastal areas bore the brunt of the hurricane.
Often appears as...
- bear the brunt of the impact
- take the brunt of criticism
verb phrase
To accept or deal with the major share of unpleasant or challenging tasks.
In many families, the mother often bears the brunt of child-rearing tasks.
Often appears as...
- bear the brunt of responsibility
- carry the brunt of workload
verb phrase
To suffer the most harm or damage from an event, action or situation.
The coastal areas bore the brunt of the hurricane.
Often appears as...
- bear the brunt of the impact
- take the brunt of criticism
verb phrase
To accept or deal with the major share of unpleasant or challenging tasks.
In many families, the mother often bears the brunt of child-rearing tasks.
Often appears as...
- bear the brunt of responsibility
- carry the brunt of workload
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Natural Disasters
Often used when discussing who or what faces the worst effects of environmental events such as storms or earthquakes.
The small village bore the brunt of the landslide, experiencing the greatest loss.
Pro Tip 2/3Figurative Speech
Used metaphorically to describe enduring the worst part of any difficult situation, not just physical harm.
The whistleblower took the brunt of the backlash after exposing corruption.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
Refers to the person who is most affected emotionally by a negative event or action.
She bore the brunt of the breakup, while her partner seemed unaffected.
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