as in flows
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
a pop star brushing past a crowd of autograph seekers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in kisses
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing
spiderwebs brushed her cheek as she walked through the basement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of brushes
Carin Ryan,
Travel + Leisure,
26 June 2026
During this time, the singer also had several brushes with the law, staying at various jails and reformatories.
—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
For instance, pet parents keep an eye out for Amazon vacuums that come with tangle-free brushes to trap loose fur without clogging the motorhead.
—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
25 June 2026
Indeed, the carmaker’s history was marked by internal power struggles, brushes with bankruptcy, and technical setbacks as a small team sought to build a sports car out of thousands of laptop batteries.
—
Rachel Ventresca,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Use the three drawers to hold everything from hair products and brushes to mouthwash and makeup, then store larger items like spare towels or bathroom cleaning products on the spacious shelves.
—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
24 June 2026
Through a slurry of distorted guitars and deadpan singing, the album brushes against grief, addiction, and abandonment through a layer of gauzy nonchalance.
—
Linnie Greene,
Pitchfork,
23 June 2026
The toiletry bag has two main compartments that can store full-size shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and body wash bottles upright, plus two side pockets with space for makeup, hair ties, hair brushes, and more travel essentials.
—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
This includes wool and metal brushes.
—
Bestreviews,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
Bryce Harper, star slugger, the Phillie Phanatic's best friend, and baseball hero to children of all ages, brushes his teeth.
—
CBS News,
28 May 2026
These stocks have climbed for weeks as the market brushes off the narrative that AI is a threat to the cybersecurity industry.
—
Morgan Chittum,matthew J. Belvedere,
CNBC,
27 May 2026
Tokyo Stylez, Cardi’s hairstylist, brushes out a sleek brown hairpiece, and Erika la’ pearl, her makeup artist, dabs at Cardi’s face while the rapper scrolls through her phone, controlling the music.
—
Jazmine Hughes,
Allure,
24 Mar. 2026
When some chime in to say their doctors had been cautiously optimistic about treatments, Sarah brushes that aside.
—
Gerald Witt,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
At the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, Commander Tommy Nester finds it behind the ceiling panels, brushes it off the uniforms that aren’t behind glass and sweeps it from the baseboards of the main hall.
—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
1 Mar. 2026
See how his head brushes the sky.
—
Roey Leonardi,
The Atlantic,
22 Feb. 2026
Elizabeth Scott brushes off the comparison.
—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
23 Dec. 2025
Noun
Compact, mess-free, and surprisingly refreshing, these disposable brushes are too convenient to skip.
—
Carin Ryan,
Travel + Leisure,
26 June 2026
During this time, the singer also had several brushes with the law, staying at various jails and reformatories.
—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
For instance, pet parents keep an eye out for Amazon vacuums that come with tangle-free brushes to trap loose fur without clogging the motorhead.
—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
25 June 2026
Indeed, the carmaker’s history was marked by internal power struggles, brushes with bankruptcy, and technical setbacks as a small team sought to build a sports car out of thousands of laptop batteries.
—
Rachel Ventresca,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Use the three drawers to hold everything from hair products and brushes to mouthwash and makeup, then store larger items like spare towels or bathroom cleaning products on the spacious shelves.
—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
24 June 2026
Through a slurry of distorted guitars and deadpan singing, the album brushes against grief, addiction, and abandonment through a layer of gauzy nonchalance.
—
Linnie Greene,
Pitchfork,
23 June 2026
The toiletry bag has two main compartments that can store full-size shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and body wash bottles upright, plus two side pockets with space for makeup, hair ties, hair brushes, and more travel essentials.
—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
This includes wool and metal brushes.
—
Bestreviews,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
Verb
At a tumultuous teen party halfway through the film, Sonya brushes off Coley completely, buoying drunkenly into the arms of whoever will take her.
—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
Bryce Harper, star slugger, the Phillie Phanatic's best friend, and baseball hero to children of all ages, brushes his teeth.
—
CBS News,
28 May 2026
These stocks have climbed for weeks as the market brushes off the narrative that AI is a threat to the cybersecurity industry.
—
Morgan Chittum,matthew J. Belvedere,
CNBC,
27 May 2026
Tokyo Stylez, Cardi’s hairstylist, brushes out a sleek brown hairpiece, and Erika la’ pearl, her makeup artist, dabs at Cardi’s face while the rapper scrolls through her phone, controlling the music.
—
Jazmine Hughes,
Allure,
24 Mar. 2026
When some chime in to say their doctors had been cautiously optimistic about treatments, Sarah brushes that aside.
—
Gerald Witt,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
At the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, Commander Tommy Nester finds it behind the ceiling panels, brushes it off the uniforms that aren’t behind glass and sweeps it from the baseboards of the main hall.
—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
1 Mar. 2026
See how his head brushes the sky.
—
Roey Leonardi,
The Atlantic,
22 Feb. 2026
Elizabeth Scott brushes off the comparison.
—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
23 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brushes
Noun
-
The site hearkens back to Florida roadside attractions of the past but offers plenty of present-day opportunities for animal encounters amid a backdrop of tropical foliage.
-
Serious encounters with alligators remain relatively rare, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data, but there have been three attacks in the last seven days.
Verb
-
The Composer ties together all aspects of the factory (machines, conveyors, sensors, and logistics flows) into a unified simulation.
-
To balance the market next year, flows through the strait need only recover to 65% of their pre-conflict level.
Verb
-
In the photo, Holland kisses Zendaya's head while on the Spider-Man press tour.
-
Set in one blistering Midwestern small town summer, everything changes in Mina’s friend group when her best friend unexpectedly kisses her at a sleepover.
Verb
-
Between capitals, the ship glides through Austria’s wine country, with family winery visits and Melk Abbey structuring the scenic stretches.
-
The body then glides over the top of the windshield and starts flipping through the air over the roof.
Verb
-
Zillow says that a pale pink bathroom could lose you up to $6,013, while a pale pink kitchen shaves an extra $4,201 off potential buyers' offers.
-
The decision to move elections to November shaves several months off the existing terms of the mayor, vice mayor and commissioners.
Verb
-
Star of the Seas still sails out of Port Canaveral, housing guests on what is tied for the title of world’s largest cruise ship.
-
As the ship sails the Antarctic Peninsula, passengers go on excursions, such as taking a Zodiac or kayaking, to view wildlife and immerse themselves in nature.
Verb
-
The lawsuit touches on a growing conversation over how companies are using technology, including AI, to push prices higher.
-
This creates a living blueprint of where sensitive information lives and who touches it.
Verb
-
Guests will hear brakes each time the vehicle drifts or turns.
-
In the excerpt, a character drifts through each scene shown with what seems like shellshock on his face, as the show’s sensory overload of action happens all around him.
Cite this Entry
“Brushes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brushes. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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