shellacking: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Informal, sometimes humorous or journalistic.
Quick answer
What does “shellacking” mean?
A severe defeat, punishment, or beating.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A severe defeat, punishment, or beating.
Also used figuratively to mean a harsh criticism, a decisive loss (especially in politics or sports), or a thorough, damaging defeat.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is American in origin. While understood in the UK, it is used far less frequently and may sound like an Americanism.
Connotations
In US usage, it carries strong connotations of politics and sports. In UK usage, it may be perceived as a colourful American idiom.
Frequency
High frequency in American political/journalistic discourse; low frequency in British English.
Grammar
How to Use “shellacking” in a Sentence
[Party/Team] took a shellacking.[Candidate] gave [opponent] a shellacking.They suffered a shellacking in [election/game].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “shellacking” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The opposition party was thoroughly shellacked in the local elections.
- Their team got shellacked in the final match.
American English
- The incumbent shellacked his challenger, winning by a 20-point margin.
- We got shellacked 42-7 on our home field.
adverb
British English
- (Not used as a standard adverb)
American English
- (Not used as a standard adverb)
adjective
British English
- (Not standard; 'shellacked' is participial adjective) The shellacked team looked demoralised.
- He had a shellacked expression after the debate.
American English
- (Not standard; 'shellacked' is participial adjective) The shellacked candidate conceded early.
- It was a shellacking defeat for the ages.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, but possible in informal contexts describing a failed product launch or a bad quarter: 'Our new line took a shellacking from the critics.'
Academic
Very rare; would only appear in historical/political analysis of elections.
Everyday
Used informally to describe a bad defeat in a game or competition.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “shellacking”
- Using it in formal writing.
- Spelling as 'shellacking' (correct) vs. 'shellacing' (incorrect).
- Using it to describe a minor loss.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is primarily informal and journalistic. It is not suitable for academic or highly formal writing.
Its origin implies a physical beating, but in modern use it is almost always figurative, referring to defeats in sports, politics, or business.
A 'landslide' is a decisive victory. A 'shellacking' is a decisive defeat. They are opposites in this context.
Yes, 'to shellac' still means to varnish or coat with shellac resin, but the 'defeat' meaning is now more common in general discourse.
A severe defeat, punishment, or beating.
Shellacking: in British English it is pronounced /ʃəˈlakɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ʃəˈlækɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “take a shellacking”
- “give someone a shellacking”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a political candidate's poster being covered (shellacked) with red paint (representing losses on an electoral map) after a terrible defeat.
Conceptual Metaphor
A DEFEAT IS A PHYSICAL BEATING/COATING.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'shellacking' MOST commonly used?