flack
flack Lexical Profile
flack Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Strong criticism, opposition, or hostile reaction (a variant spelling of flak).
"The committee received a great deal of flack from residents after proposing the new zoning rules."
North American A publicity agent, press agent, or public relations representative.
"The studio hired a veteran flack to manage media inquiries ahead of the film's premiere."
North American Publicity or promotional material.
"Despite all the glossy flack surrounding the product launch, sales remained modest."
• verb
North American To act as a publicity agent or promote something for a person, organization, or product.
"After leaving the newspaper, he spent several years flacking for a major software company."
Word Nuance & Usage
Traditionally, "flack" refers to a press agent or publicist, whereas "flak" (from a German acronym for anti-aircraft gunfire) refers to heavy criticism; however, in modern usage, "flack" is frequently used as an accepted variant spelling of "flak."
• Rhymes for flack
Word Origin & Etymology
The publicity sense originated in late 1930s American slang, likely named after Gene Flack, a prominent movie publicity agent. The sense meaning criticism is a variant spelling of "flak," borrowed from the World War II German acronym "Fliegerabwehrkanone" (aircraft-defense cannon).