What does 'pushback' mean at work?

What it means: Resistance, objection, or challenge to a decision, plan, or idea. "Getting pushback" means people are questioning or opposing what you've proposed. "Giving pushback" means you're the one raising concerns or objecting.

Why natives say this: It's a neutral word for what could otherwise sound confrontational. "I have concerns" feels softer than "I disagree." "There's been some pushback" describes the situation without blaming anyone. It lets people voice opposition while keeping the conversation professional.

• "We're getting pushback from the client on the timeline"
• "Don't be afraid to push back on ideas you disagree with"
• "There was pushback from the team on the new process"

As a verb (push back): "I want you to push back when you disagree with me." "She pushed back on the budget."

• "Resistance" - more formal
• "Objections" - formal, used in meetings and presentations
• "Concerns" - softer, focuses on worry rather than opposition
• "Challenge" (verb) - "he challenged the decision" is a formal alternative

Register: Professional. Common in business meetings, management, and corporate communication.

Tags: workplace English, meetings, disagreement, professional communication, corporate English