air·brush
ˈer-ˌbrəsh 
: an atomizer for applying by compressed air a fine spray (as of paint or liquid color)
airbrushed; airbrushing; airbrushes
: to paint, treat, or alter (as to conceal imperfections) with or as if with an airbrush
airbrush a photograph
Examples of airbrush in a Sentence
Verb
That photograph must have been airbrushed.
Recent Examples on the Web
Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2023
Alo's patented airbrush fabric lifts and supports the breasts and offers light support for both the studio and the street.
—Lily Wohlner, Women's Health, 28 July 2023
Your skin will experience a bit of plumping from the airbrush polymers that are infused into the formula, which is a welcome side effect.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 14 June 2023
His plan was to become a full-time airbrush artist.
—Wesley Lapointe, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2023
From pencil and airbrush to oil painting and creating digitally in Photoshop, Graef has used just about every kind of tool to illustrate.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 25 May 2023
Mechanical bull rides and airbrush face painting will be available for $4 each.
—Norma Cavazos, Dallas News, 4 May 2023
There are a few tattoo booths — not airbrush tattoos, the real thing.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2023
Armor and blazing-orange sunsets aside, the features in the portrait are too smooth, the imperfections blotted out with a virtual airbrush, sharpness and contrast amped up to unlikely extremes.
—WIRED, 31 Jan. 2023
Hilary Reid, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2023
It cannot be airbrushed or filtered or otherwise altered.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2023
With Remini, users’ skin can appear unnaturally smooth and airbrushed, and hands and finer details can be distorted.
—Paige Hagy, Fortune, 19 July 2023
Democrats are appalled at the effort to airbrush history.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Dallas News, 31 July 2023
By airbrushing a small circle in the center of each nail, you're left with a beautiful gradient design.
—Tasha Nicole Smith, ELLE, 26 July 2023
While there are some new details in the telling, the net effect leaves the Smith that people didn’t know, other than those meticulously airbrushed photo spreads, largely untouched.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 16 May 2023
This multi-peptide serum is packed with a variety of them, all with the goal of giving skin that airbrushed glow.
—Neha Tandon, womenshealthmag.com, 1 May 2023
The mural was painted using airbrushing techniques with gold metal flakes, traditionally used to paint lowrider cars.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Apr. 2023
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Noun
Look for a petting zoo, pony rides, inflatables, airbrush tattoos, food trucks and music by Jennifer Fletcher & The Reckoning.
Antioch Fall Wine Walk: 12-4 p.m. Sept. 23.
—Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2023
Alo's patented airbrush fabric lifts and supports the breasts and offers light support for both the studio and the street.
—Lily Wohlner, Women's Health, 28 July 2023
Your skin will experience a bit of plumping from the airbrush polymers that are infused into the formula, which is a welcome side effect.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 14 June 2023
His plan was to become a full-time airbrush artist.
—Wesley Lapointe, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2023
From pencil and airbrush to oil painting and creating digitally in Photoshop, Graef has used just about every kind of tool to illustrate.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 25 May 2023
Mechanical bull rides and airbrush face painting will be available for $4 each.
—Norma Cavazos, Dallas News, 4 May 2023
There are a few tattoo booths — not airbrush tattoos, the real thing.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2023
Armor and blazing-orange sunsets aside, the features in the portrait are too smooth, the imperfections blotted out with a virtual airbrush, sharpness and contrast amped up to unlikely extremes.
—WIRED, 31 Jan. 2023
Verb
And, as other entities in the fashion world have been airbrushed and transformed over the last five decades, its brown-kraft-paper visage has had no significant face-lifts.
—Hilary Reid, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2023
It cannot be airbrushed or filtered or otherwise altered.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2023
With Remini, users’ skin can appear unnaturally smooth and airbrushed, and hands and finer details can be distorted.
—Paige Hagy, Fortune, 19 July 2023
Democrats are appalled at the effort to airbrush history.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Dallas News, 31 July 2023
By airbrushing a small circle in the center of each nail, you're left with a beautiful gradient design.
—Tasha Nicole Smith, ELLE, 26 July 2023
While there are some new details in the telling, the net effect leaves the Smith that people didn’t know, other than those meticulously airbrushed photo spreads, largely untouched.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 16 May 2023
This multi-peptide serum is packed with a variety of them, all with the goal of giving skin that airbrushed glow.
—Neha Tandon, womenshealthmag.com, 1 May 2023
The mural was painted using airbrushing techniques with gold metal flakes, traditionally used to paint lowrider cars.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'airbrush.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing airbrush
Dictionary Entries Near airbrush
Cite this Entry
“Airbrush.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airbrush. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
airbrush
noun
air·brush
ˈa(ə)r-ˌbrəsh,
ˈe(ə)r-
: a device that uses compressed air to apply a liquid (as paint or a protective coating) as a fine spray
airbrush
verb
More from Merriam-Webster on airbrush
Nglish: Translation of airbrush for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of airbrush for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about airbrush
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