as in to wave
to put into view in a threatening or excited manner
She brandished a stick at the dog. brandished a petition signed by hundreds of town residents
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Recent Examples of brandish
The San Jose Police Department said officers responded to a report of a disturbance involving a weapon and determined that a person had brandished a box cutter at several people in the parking area.
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Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Grimes brandished a gun, and Northington and Hyman robbed the store, taking money from the cash register.
—Lily Carey, Baltimore Sun, 16 Apr. 2026
An arrest warrant is out for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer accused of brandishing a gun at two people on a highway during Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, prosecutors said Thursday.
—Sophie Brams, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026
So, per the rulebook, referee Slavko Vinčić brandished his yellow card to Camavinga.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brandish
Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Grimes brandished a gun, and Northington and Hyman robbed the store, taking money from the cash register.
—Lily Carey, Baltimore Sun, 16 Apr. 2026
An arrest warrant is out for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer accused of brandishing a gun at two people on a highway during Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, prosecutors said Thursday.
—Sophie Brams, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026
So, per the rulebook, referee Slavko Vinčić brandished his yellow card to Camavinga.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brandish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brandish
Verb
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Down 30 with seven minutes left, Ott waved the white flag and emptied his bench, trying to move on to Wednesday’s Game 2 as quickly as possible.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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Now, gravel paths and barefoot-friendly concrete pavers wind through mature oak trees, gently waving grasses, and structured succulents, leading to distinct seating and dining areas.—
Elizabeth Jardina,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Perhaps the most compelling moment of the 2026 NFL Draft came in the final round, when the Pittsburgh Steelers selected running back Eli Heidenreich and the pick was announced to the hometown crowd gathered at the event.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
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When the Dodgers public address announcer read the Cubs starting lineup, Dodgers fans vehemently booed Crow-Armstrong, a trend that continued before each at-bat and again Saturday when he was announced pregame.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Rodriguez measures in at 6 feet 1 3/8, 231 pounds and was a tackling machine for the Red Raiders, the same school which produced current Dolphins All-Pro linebacker Jordyn Brooks and Hall of Famer Zach Thomas.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
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Washington, a big, fast, physical back who has produced in the SEC, is near the top of the list.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brandish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brandish. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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