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
Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
As the first motion picture studio to cross $4 billion worldwide this year off hits such as A Minecraft Movie, Sinners, Superman and more, Warner Bros’ gamble on One Battle After Another stemmed from the desire by brass at the Burbank, CA lot to make a legacy film.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
Mixing polished nickel and chrome, which are fairly similar, looks more like a mistake than pairing polished nickel with unlacquered brass.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025
The budgets of a few of Sheridan’s shows were also in question from the new brass, according to Puck.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brass
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Noun
Snag the piece in brown and brass or all black.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
As the first motion picture studio to cross $4 billion worldwide this year off hits such as A Minecraft Movie, Sinners, Superman and more, Warner Bros’ gamble on One Battle After Another stemmed from the desire by brass at the Burbank, CA lot to make a legacy film.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
Mixing polished nickel and chrome, which are fairly similar, looks more like a mistake than pairing polished nickel with unlacquered brass.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025
The budgets of a few of Sheridan’s shows were also in question from the new brass, according to Puck.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brass
Cite this Entry
“Brass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brass. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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
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