noun

flak

Flak (noun) means Anti-aircraft gunfire, or the guns that produce it. Example: “The bomber crew flew straight through heavy flak.”

noun

Anti-aircraft gunfire, or the guns that produce it.

"The bomber crew flew straight through heavy flak."

Harsh criticism or complaints.

"The company took a lot of flak for the price hike."

"She got flak from her boss for missing the deadline."

How to use flak

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishOriginally anti-aircraft fire; now mostly used for a barrage of criticism.

Common pairings

take flak catch flak heavy flak

Word forms

flaks plural

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The bomber crew flew straight through heavy _____.

Etymology

Borrowed from German FlaK, a short form of Fliegerabwehrkanone, "aircraft-defense cannon."

Origin: German

Synonyms

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fire attack blast flack pom-pom ack-ack ack-ack gun flak catcher antiaircraft flack catcher antiaircraft gun

Related words

fire term shot round damn match technology attack

Frequently asked questions

What does “flak” mean?

The word “flak” means anti-aircraft gunfire, or the guns that produce it. In plain terms, originally anti-aircraft fire; now mostly used for a barrage of criticism.

How do you pronounce “flak”?

“Flak” is pronounced flak (/flæk/ in IPA).

How do you use “flak” in a sentence?

Here is “flak” used in a sentence: “The bomber crew flew straight through heavy flak.”

What part of speech is “flak”?

“Flak” is a noun.

Where does the word “flak” come from?

The word “flak” comes from German. Borrowed from German FlaK, a short form of Fliegerabwehrkanone, "aircraft-defense cannon.".

How many meanings does “flak” have?

“Flak” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: anti-aircraft gunfire, or the guns that produce it.

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Vocabulary lists that include flak:

Words with German origins

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fire term shot round damn match technology attack