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The word brandish is often paired with a word for a weapon, such as knife or handgun. The link between brandish and weaponry is present in the word’s etymology: brandish comes ultimately from a Germanic word meaning “sword.” Since the word’s 14th century introduction to the English language (by way of Anglo-French) weapons have commonly been the things brandished, but also extensive is the use of brandish with things that are wielded to defeat in other ways, such as banners and placards used in the war of ideas. One can even brandish something that isn’t physical, such as a law or one’s intellect. In that case, you are figuratively waving the thing in someone’s face so that it cannot be ignored.
Examples of brandish in a Sentence
Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Dowdle hasn’t brandished the chip on his shoulder much publicly this year.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors had previously argued Collins posed a danger for bringing a weapon into a volatile setting, though Kling maintained his client never brandished the firearm.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Still, to this day, people come up to me brandishing letters that my mother once wrote to them.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Brandish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brandish. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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