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
Figures being brandished about by UN agencies were in an eye watering range of $1.1 trillion to $1.8 trillion a year, and finally pinned to $1.3 trillion at the latter stages of COP29. Gaurav Sharma, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 Now the subject of investigations by three law enforcement agencies, Young has been accused of assault, threatening California Highway Patrol officers, brandishing a gun during a road rage incident and choking his estranged wife, according to court documents filed by prosecutors this month. James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
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 But the United States would be smarter to withhold carrots than to brandish sticks. Shadi Hamid, Foreign Affairs, 28 Mar. 2023 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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Dictionary Entries Near brandish

Cite this Entry

“Brandish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brandish. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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