as in waving
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 brandishing
In its decision not to pursue charges in Martinez-Sarmiento’s death, the district attorney’s office said Colorado Springs officers responded to a report on July 5, 2025, of a man yelling and brandishing a firearm near a nightclub.
—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
24 June 2026
According to several social media posts on X, someone reportedly brandishing a machete was allegedly shot by an officer or officers.
—
Kairi Lowery,
Miami Herald,
21 June 2026
He was arrested on suspicion of brandishing a weapon, resisting arrest with violence, resisting arrest, trespassing and being too intoxicated to care for himself in public, police said.
—
Jose Fabian,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
The video showed a man wearing purple gloves and brandishing a knife while arguing with another man and woman.
—
Dj Simmons,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
When a mysterious man in a Hawaiian shirt (Joseph Tudisco) comes up behind Ron brandishing a pipe, the show’s right to take its mood so seriously — even about something as potentially trivial as chairs, and even about a protagonist as potentially trivial as Ron.
—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
9 June 2026
In the Menil work, the central character is an artist brandishing a bouquet of colored pencils, surrounded by a seraphic tumble of monochrome extras that are her handiwork.
—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Her description of the deceased Alex Pretti brandishing a gun that threatened the lives of Border Patrol officers was quickly debunked, with several videos showing how he was killed despite posing no threat.
—
Sheldon Jacobson,
Twin Cities,
2 June 2026
Loyalty is displayed by wearing club or country colors, kits, jerseys, and badges and brandishing flags and banners.
—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 June 2026
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
24 June 2026
According to several social media posts on X, someone reportedly brandishing a machete was allegedly shot by an officer or officers.
—
Kairi Lowery,
Miami Herald,
21 June 2026
He was arrested on suspicion of brandishing a weapon, resisting arrest with violence, resisting arrest, trespassing and being too intoxicated to care for himself in public, police said.
—
Jose Fabian,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
The video showed a man wearing purple gloves and brandishing a knife while arguing with another man and woman.
—
Dj Simmons,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
When a mysterious man in a Hawaiian shirt (Joseph Tudisco) comes up behind Ron brandishing a pipe, the show’s right to take its mood so seriously — even about something as potentially trivial as chairs, and even about a protagonist as potentially trivial as Ron.
—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
9 June 2026
In the Menil work, the central character is an artist brandishing a bouquet of colored pencils, surrounded by a seraphic tumble of monochrome extras that are her handiwork.
—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Her description of the deceased Alex Pretti brandishing a gun that threatened the lives of Border Patrol officers was quickly debunked, with several videos showing how he was killed despite posing no threat.
—
Sheldon Jacobson,
Twin Cities,
2 June 2026
Loyalty is displayed by wearing club or country colors, kits, jerseys, and badges and brandishing flags and banners.
—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brandishing
Verb
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Turn to face the shore, tread water, and signal for help by calling out or waving your arms.
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Like Eala, his matches are chock-a-block with soccer-style flag waving, face painting and vociferous cheering.
Verb
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During his press conference announcing its closure, DeSantis defended the cost and argued that if the state had not built Alligator Alcatraz, those 21,000 individuals captured by ICE and local police would have been released.
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Moreover, Devonté Hynes’ score, which is both anxious and playful, does the tonal heavy lifting without ever announcing itself, which is something the music branch can discover and appreciate.
Cite this Entry
“Brandishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brandishing. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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