as in grinding
to reduce to fine particles
bray the seeds using a mortar and pestle
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of braying
The cool, quiet spring air is punctuated only by Kasbah’s small pack of mules braying nearby, and the tinkling of the riad’s fountain.
—
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2025
As the insignias are cut off his uniform and his sword broken, Dreyfus (played by Louis Garrel) loudly declares his innocence, both to his brothers-in-arms and to the braying public outside the gates.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2025
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2025
As the insignias are cut off his uniform and his sword broken, Dreyfus (played by Louis Garrel) loudly declares his innocence, both to his brothers-in-arms and to the braying public outside the gates.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for braying
Verb
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That hypnotizing aroma may be one thing, but there is actually a science to grinding coffee.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
15 Oct. 2025
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But the patient, grinding work of peace implementation typically bores him.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Led by blaring ‘80s synthesizers and a pounding beat, the song features a distorted lead vocal from D’Angelo, who accompanies himself on multitracked backing vocals with the occasional soul shriek thrown in for good measure.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
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John Candy famously took a racquetball to the skull in a key comedic scene from the 1984 film Splash — and fellow actor Tom Hanks recalls that his late costar's head might've been pounding already after Candy spent the night before drinking with Hollywood icon Jack Nicholson.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And in early September, the company was forced to halt work on a tunnel to Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport due to a crushing injury, according to Fortune.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 Oct. 2025
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There is only the sense of crushing defeat, the stillness of a clubhouse that just a month ago hosted a raucous party after clinching the NL East, the questions of roster building to come.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Oh, 6-0 Georgia Tech’s right on the cusp of the bracket (after beating 2-5 Virginia Tech 35-20)?—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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With a make on the second, Duke won by five, miraculously beating the spread of 4 1/2, per Andrew’s telling.—
Paul Solotaroff,
Rolling Stone,
12 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Braying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/braying. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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