brandish

1 of 2

verb

bran·​dish ˈbran-dish How to pronounce brandish (audio)
brandished; brandishing; brandishes

transitive verb

1
: to shake or wave (something, such as a weapon) menacingly
brandished a knife at them
2
: to exhibit in an ostentatious or aggressive manner
brandishing her intellect

brandish

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of waving something menacingly or exhibiting something ostentatiously or aggressively : an act or instance of brandishing

Did you know?

Often when we encounter the word brandish in print, it is followed by a word for a weapon, such as knife or handgun. That’s appropriate given the word’s etymology: it is a descendant of the Middle English braundisshen, which comes from the Anglo-French brant or braund, a word of Germanic origin meaning “sword.” Nowadays you can brandish things other than weapons, however. The figurative usage of brandish rose alongside its earliest literal usage in the 14th century. When you brandish something that isn’t a weapon (such as a sign or a letter), you are in effect waving it in someone’s face so that it cannot be overlooked.

Choose the Right Synonym for brandish

swing, wave, flourish, brandish, thrash mean to wield or cause to move to and fro or up and down.

swing implies regular or uniform movement.

swing the rope back and forth

wave usually implies smooth or continuous motion.

waving the flag

flourish suggests vigorous, ostentatious, graceful movement.

flourished the winning lottery ticket

brandish implies threatening or menacing motion.

brandishing a knife

thrash suggests vigorous, abrupt, violent movement.

an infant thrashing his arms about

Examples of brandish in a Sentence

Verb She brandished a stick at the dog. I could see that he was brandishing a knife.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
But Trump still brandishes the specter of institutional antisemitism, among other false accusations, to try to seize government control of Harvard’s admissions, faculty staffing, and curriculum decisions for its own political biases. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 7 July 2025 To wit, many attendees were brandishing the new Cristina Satchel bag style that retails for an easy $350. Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
After crossing the bridge first, Myung-gi brandishes the pole and insists that Gi-hun stay on the other tower and hand the baby over. Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 28 June 2025 Like, grabbing the piece of broken glass to brandish as a weapon after the assassin shoved Marcus through a window? Brian Grubb, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for brandish

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English braundisshen, from Anglo-French brandiss-, stem of brandir, from brant, braund sword, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English brand

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brandish was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Brandish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brandish. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

brandish

verb
bran·​dish
ˈbran-dish
1
: to shake or wave in a threatening manner
brandish a stick at a dog
2
: to exhibit in a showy or aggressive manner

More from Merriam-Webster on brandish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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