1
: an alloy consisting essentially of copper and zinc in variable proportions
2
a
: the brass instruments of an orchestra or band
—often used in plural
b
: a usually brass memorial tablet
c
: bright metal fittings, utensils, or ornaments
d
: empty cartridge shells
3
: brazen self-assurance : gall
4
singular or plural in construction
a
: high-ranking members of the military
b
: persons in high positions (as in a business or the government)
1
: made of brass
a brass cannon
see also brass ring, brass tacks
2
: made up of or composed for brass musical instruments
the band's brass section
see also brass band
Examples of brass in a Sentence
Noun
a candlestick made of brass
The whole orchestra—the strings, percussion, woodwinds, and brass—began to play.
The brasses began to play.
polishing the brass and the silver
Recent Examples on the Web
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
The five-piece, brass-heavy band gets a workout when Bluey’s impossible-to-control toy Chattermax has a cameo.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
Expect Murano chandeliers, mirrors by Sogni di Cristallo, custom Pierre Frey fabrics, and minibars disguised as brass elephants shipped over from Jaipur.
—Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 20 Mar. 2026
Ours featured an enormous (and very comfy) bed with a rattan headboard, tasteful brass lamps, a plush green velvet armchair and a writing desk with views out over the camellia trees.
—Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brass
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.
Noun
Frank’s musical vocabulary, especially as instruments like harp, xylophone and mariarchi-like brass are added, is frequently transfixing.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
The five-piece, brass-heavy band gets a workout when Bluey’s impossible-to-control toy Chattermax has a cameo.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
Expect Murano chandeliers, mirrors by Sogni di Cristallo, custom Pierre Frey fabrics, and minibars disguised as brass elephants shipped over from Jaipur.
—Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 20 Mar. 2026
Ours featured an enormous (and very comfy) bed with a rattan headboard, tasteful brass lamps, a plush green velvet armchair and a writing desk with views out over the camellia trees.
—Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brass
Cite this Entry
“Brass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brass. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
brass
noun1
: an alloy containing copper and zinc
2
: the reddish yellow color of brass
3
: the brass instruments of a band or orchestra
—often used in plural
4
: bright metal ornaments, fixtures, or utensils
5
: bold self-assurance : gall
6
: high-ranking officers especially in the armed forces
brass
adjective
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
