Definition

1. Noun:
   • Anti-aircraft artillery: Guns or weapons specifically designed to fire at and shoot down enemy aircraft.
   • Intense adverse criticism: Harsh, aggressive, and sustained verbal attack or disapproval.
   • A press or publicity agent; a spokesperson: A person, especially a skilled one, whose job is to manage public relations and media responses, often by deflecting or reframing criticism.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Anti-aircraft artillery):
  • The bombers flew through heavy flack over the target zone.
• Noun (Criticism):
  • The new policy has drawn a lot of flack from environmental groups.
  • He's taking serious flack for his controversial comments.
• Noun (Spokesperson):
  • The company's flack handled the difficult questions from reporters with ease.

Advanced Usage

• "to catch/take flack": To receive or be subjected to criticism.
  • The mayor is catching flack for the city's budget deficit.
• "to give someone flack": To criticize someone.
  • His friends gave him flack for being late again.

Variants and Related Words

• Flak (noun): This is the more common and standard spelling for all meanings of "flack". The words are often used interchangeably, though "flak" is generally preferred.
• Flak jacket (noun): A protective vest designed to stop shell fragments and bullets.

Synonyms

• Criticism: The expression of disapproval.
• Censure: Harsh criticism or strong disapproval.
• Fire: (Informal) Strong criticism or attack.
• PR agent: Public relations agent.
• Spin doctor: (Informal, often derogatory) A spokesperson employed to give a favorable interpretation of events to the media.

Related Phrases

• Under fire: Being criticized or attacked.
  • The administration is under fire for its handling of the crisis.
• Run interference: To deal with problems or criticism for someone else, similar to a spokesperson's role.
  • Her assistant runs interference with the press.

Noun

1. artillery designed to shoot upward at airplanes
2. intense adverse criticism
   • Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party
   • the government has come under attack
   • don't give me any flak
3. a slick spokesperson who can turn any criticism to the advantage of their employer