BRUSHES Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

brushes 1 of 3

noun

plural of brush

as in encounters

a brief clash between enemies or rivals the two advance parties had a brush, but no one was wounded

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brushes

2 of 3

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of brush

as in flows

to move or proceed smoothly and readily a pop star brushing past a crowd of autograph seekers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

brushes

3 of 3

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of brush

as in kisses

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 brushes

Noun

Best pool brushes The wall whale classic is a strong pool brush perfect for getting rid of dirt and debris. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 Lymphatic facial brushes are gaining ground for daily routines because the fiber flex self-regulates pressure. — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026 From clever watermelon slicers to brushes designed to slide into tight crevices, shop more surprisingly useful gadgets below. — Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026 Compact, mess-free, and surprisingly refreshing, these disposable brushes are too convenient to skip. — Carin Ryan, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2026 Youthful brushes with fame can be exciting, but also overwhelming — and not necessarily sustainable. — Louis Peitzman, Entertainment Weekly, 30 June 2026 Hawaiian Tropic’s zinc oxide formula, a physical UV blocker, brushes on with a matte, translucent finish and leaves no white cast on most skin tones. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 1, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026 This year, over 13 million metal grill brushes have been recalled due to consumers reporting swallowing the bristles and requiring medical treatment. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 Earlier this year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled more than 13 million Weber and Nexgrill wire brushes. — Nick Lunemann, CBS News, 30 June 2026

Verb

See how his head brushes the sky. — Roey Leonardi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026 Out on 6th Avenue, a woman brushes by me holding a tiny white dog. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 4 July 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 Johnson brushes off the skirmishes, broadly speaking, as part of the governing process. — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 30 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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brushes

Noun

The idea was for Carrol to become an eyewitness to the sheriff’s encounters with others in the office, to foil potential future allegations of improper conduct, Carrol testified.

— Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026
Matthews works for Florida Shark Diving, one of several shark charter companies in southeast Florida that promise up-close encounters with some of the state’s apex predators.

— Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026

Definition of encounters

Verb

That visibility shapes where capital flows, which problems get prioritized, and how quickly innovations find their way into practice.

— Jamil Wyne, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Today's stock-market market conversation is dominated by structural dynamics, index machinations and mechanical flows the way World Cup chatter fixates on officiating decisions and bracket construction.

— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 7 July 2026

Definition of flows

Verb

The former couple was very public with their romance, posting photos from their getaways on Instagram and exchanging kisses at award shows.

— Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 July 2026
There is some sort of tension after Olive hastily kisses Carlsen, who grabs her key-in badge to learn her name.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 27 June 2026

Definition of kisses

Verb

As the Coast Starlight approaches the Bay Area, the train glides past marshlands, open water, and distant city skylines before continuing toward California’s Central Coast.

— Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
After release from an aircraft, the wings deploy and the bomb glides tens of miles to its target using satellite navigation and inertial guidance.

— Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of glides

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.

— Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 June 2026
The decision to move elections to November shaves several months off the existing terms of the mayor, vice mayor and commissioners.

— Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026

Definition of shaves

Verb

Victory Cruise Lines, which sails on the Great Lakes, says 2026 bookings are up more than 20 percent for itineraries such as a 10-night trip that sails on all five Great Lakes.

— Jane Wooldridge, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
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.

— Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2026

Definition of sails

Verb

Materials lean warm and minimal—Baltic birch, black steel, and soft shades of green—with witty Moxy touches like quirky headboard art and colorful accents.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026
Every manufacturer running just-in-time across a supply chain that touches the Gulf — automobiles, defense equipment, medical technology, construction materials — is now recalculating.

— Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of touches

Verb

For fireworks, this means that visibility Friday along the coast could be impaired as the marine layer drifts in and out, but visibility will generally be much better Saturday, especially just a few miles inland.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
Confrontation, feedback, accountability, the naming of a difficult dynamic, all of it drifts upward to the person in charge.

— Heidi Brooks, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of drifts

Cite this Entry

Style

“Brushes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brushes. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of brushes

noun

verb (1)

verb (2)

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