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brushed 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of brushednext
as in rubbed

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brushed

2 of 3

verb (1)

past tense of brush
as in flowed
to move or proceed smoothly and readily a pop star brushing past a crowd of autograph seekers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

brushed

3 of 3

verb (2)

past tense of brush
as in kissed
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing spiderwebs brushed her cheek as she walked through the basement

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of brushed
Adjective
Made with brushed microfiber that’s soft to the touch, each 20x30-inch queen-sized pillowcase is shrink- and fade-resistant, and comes in a variety of colors, too. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Sep. 2025 The brushed interior feels soft directly against the skin, allowing this piece to be worn on its own, to boot. — Lisa Jhung, Outside Online, 20 Jan. 2023
Verb
Last month, Tropical Storm Lala brushed past Hawaii and stirred up landslides, washing away about 100 homes and causing widespread power outages. — ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026 Last month, Hurricane Lala brushed past Hawaii and stirred up landslides, washing away about 100 homes and causing widespread power outages. — CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for brushed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brushed
  1. burnished
  2. flowed
  3. kissed
  4. glossy
  5. drifted
  6. shaved
  7. glistening
  8. glided
Adjective
  • One imagines her sweeping through arched thresholds, the click-clack of heels echoing across the burnished parquet, or presiding over feasts at the baronial dining table.
    — Donna Hardie-Scott, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Olive trees, desiccated from the Xylella fastidiosa bacterial epidemic, are consumed by fire and slump to the ground in a burnished black heap.
    — Angelica Calabrese, Longreads, 7 July 2026
Definition of burnished
Verb
  • Famously, Stevie’s substance of choice was cocaine, which flowed backstage along with champagne.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Everything about the experience, better than water itself, just flowed.
    — Daniel Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of flowed
Verb
  • At 4 o’clock on a Thursday morning, Salomon Olea grabbed a packed lunch of a ham-and- cheese torta and a white peach, kissed his wife goodbye and left the home in Escondido he’s owned for nearly 30 years.
    — Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • After saying yes, the two kissed before spraying champagne over a pool.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of kissed
Adjective
  • Season 2 of Guy Ritchie‘s glossy crime drama premiered on September 3 on Netflix and, after seven days of streaming, the first episode was watched by 3 million British viewers.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Brooks Nader kept the pointed toe and bent the heel at Wednesday’s CFDA kickoff for New York Fashion Week, pairing glossy black pumps with an archival Dolce & Gabbana lace dress at Rockefeller Plaza on Wednesday night.
    — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of glossy
Verb
  • The Rams did secure one interception on Purdy, when Quentin Lake drifted back into zone and Purdy tried to force a ball to Evans and threw it right at Lake.
    — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The impact jostled loose a few petals before the circle of blossoms slowly drifted away on the luminescent blue Bermudian swells.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of drifted
Verb
  • People with very hairy chests might need enough hair shaved off to allow the pad to stick.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Even in southern locations, more than 40 minutes is expected to be shaved off daytime, according to AccuWeather.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of shaved
Adjective
  • Retailing for $1,170, the all-black style featured glistening satin black uppers that transitioned into open, rounded toes with thick straps.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 2026
  • In some memes in recent weeks, the photo has become so over-edited that the character's glistening face is slicker, darker and even more uncanny.
    — Owen Carry, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of glistening
Verb
  • The pinkish squid glided two miles beneath the surface, its long, pale legs trailing from undulating fins, stunning scientists who know remarkably little about its diet, behavior or reproduction.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Merino glided away from challenges to keep Arsenal in control.
    — Thom Harris, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of glided

Browse Nearby Words

brush (aside or off)
brushed
brushed (aside or off)
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Cite this Entry

“Brushed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brushed. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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