piling on
Attacking in groups
Piling on is joining an attack or criticism that others have already started, adding to someone's burden when they're already down.
The image comes from football, where players pile onto a tackled opponent.
It suggests unfairness or excess: Once the scandal broke, everyone started piling on.
The phrase can also mean accumulating burdens: The bills just kept piling on.
Oppressive weight or duty
- excessSurplus beyond need
- overwhelmDefeat by excess
- overloadBurden beyond capacity
- saturationState of complete permeation
inundation · avalanche · barrage · deluge · flood · torrent · mounting · stacking
Assign responsibility for wrongdoing
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- attackAggressive act against another
- condemnationSevere disapproval expressed formally
- censureFormal institutional disapproval
reproach · criticism · denunciation · vilification · shaming · ganging up · dogpile · mob mentality
Gear or takedown
- footballField sport with goals
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
- foulOffensive or illegal
- unnecessary roughnessPenalty for excessive violence
late hit · unsportsmanlike · flag · infraction · whistle · referee · illegal contact · personal foul
burden
Oppressive weight or duty
saturation · inundation · avalanche · barrage · deluge · flood · torrent · mounting · stacking · heaping
blame
Assign responsibility for wrongdoing
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- attackAggressive act against another
- condemnationSevere disapproval expressed formally
censure · reproach · criticism · denunciation · vilification · shaming · ganging up · dogpile · mob mentality · scapegoating
tackle
Gear or takedown
unnecessary roughness · late hit · unsportsmanlike · flag · infraction · whistle · referee · illegal contact · personal foul · excessive force
- football officiatingreferee, penalty flag, yellow flag, false start, offside
piling onholding back
Preventing forward movement
backing off · forbearance · restraint · measured response · letting it go
piling ondefending
Protecting against harm
standing up for · rallying around · having someone's back · supporting · backing up
piling ontaking off
Starting upward flight
removing · peeling away · stripping away · dispersing · subtracting
pile, piled, piles, pileup, piling, pilings, pileups, unpiled, unpile