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Grammar fix

bear the brunt

take the worst of (something)

to receive or experience the worst part or the main force of something unpleasant, such as criticism, blame, or negative effects.

collocationC1occasional

Hear it in context

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

  • During the recession, young people bore the brunt of job losses.daily life
  • In my opinion, it is often children who bear the brunt of family conflicts, as they are the most affected by changes at home.IELTS speaking

Fix the pattern

Pattern: bear the brunt of + noun/gerund

WrongShe bore the brunt for the criticism.

RightShe bore the brunt of the criticism.

'The brunt OF something', not 'for'.

Patternbear the brunt of + noun/gerund

Use it right

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff She absorbed the principal and most severe portion of the criticism.

Natural She bore the brunt of the criticism.

'Absorbed the principal severe portion' spells out an idiom; 'bore the brunt of' is the set phrase.

Build natural chunks

Words that usually travel with it.

  • bear the brunt of
    oftakethe costthe blame

Don't confuse it

Unlike the literal meaning of 'bear' (to carry or support weight), this collocation is always figurative and refers to enduring the most difficult or unpleasant part of something.

Try it in Daily Speak →