as in waves
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 brandishes
No Elliot Stabler wannabe brandishes fists in her face.
—
Jim Higgins,
jsonline.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Christa gleefully brandishes a page she’s ripped out of the phonebook that has her childhood address on it.
—
Hazlitt,
10 Dec. 2025
Harrelson brandishes that anything-goes leer that never gets old.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
11 Nov. 2025
The actor playing Brown wears a red hooded sweatshirt and brandishes a pocket knife similar to the one police say Brown used to fatally stab Zarutska.
—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Sep. 2025
When a trompo taco is ordered, a cook brandishes a knife of ferocious sharpness, shaving a thin, broad piece large enough to overhang the corn tortilla it’s laid upon.
—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
24 Aug. 2025
Jim Higgins,
jsonline.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Christa gleefully brandishes a page she’s ripped out of the phonebook that has her childhood address on it.
—
Hazlitt,
10 Dec. 2025
Harrelson brandishes that anything-goes leer that never gets old.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
11 Nov. 2025
The actor playing Brown wears a red hooded sweatshirt and brandishes a pocket knife similar to the one police say Brown used to fatally stab Zarutska.
—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Sep. 2025
When a trompo taco is ordered, a cook brandishes a knife of ferocious sharpness, shaving a thin, broad piece large enough to overhang the corn tortilla it’s laid upon.
—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brandishes
Verb
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Paula waves off a call from Geri about next steps and settles in to make guacamole.
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Not to the American fan who calls it soccer, waves the flag and doesn't apologize for loving his country.
Verb
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For those determined to wrap an actual object, gifting experts say the trick is to avoid anything that merely announces its own price tag.
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Continue reading … RADICAL — DeSantis announces plans to use new state law to target dozens of alleged terrorist groups.
Verb
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Israel advertises its freedom to strike.
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No other commodity on earth advertises its price so prominently and constantly than gasoline.
Verb
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What’s more, the conditions attached to AB 2074 — onsite affordable homes, prevailing wages and workforce development opportunities — ensure that the state’s public investment produces broad benefits for our communities.
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In Illinois specifically, Constellation produces sufficient baseline electricity to fulfill the standard energy demands of over eight million residential homes.
Cite this Entry
“Brandishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brandishes. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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