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
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Recent Examples of brushes
Anissa Rivera, Daily News, 20 Mar. 2026
Typical choices for novelists are notebooks, pens, and laptops, while conservators use brushes, scalpels, and fine sandpaper.
—Literary Hub, 19 Mar. 2026
Toiletries needed are bar soap, toothpaste, face cream, body wash, compact mirror, body lotion, nail files, toothbrushes, floss, nonalcoholic mouthwash, face cream, deodorant, full-size shampoo, full-size conditioner, combs and brushes.
—Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Its hot water wash dissolves stubborn grease on the mop pads, while its specialized Curv design prevents long hair from tangling around the brushes.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Mar. 2026
Edge and corner reach Robot vacuums have never been great at getting into corners and along edges, but some models feature extendable brushes or mops that can get into corners and along floorboards.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
There’s also a zippered top section for tools, like brushes, tweezers, and nail files.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 15 Mar. 2026
Invasive brushes kick out native grasses that make valuable forage for cattle.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Diners have toasted to him ever since, trading stories of feeling ghostlike brushes along their legs during Lowcountry meals.
—Chelsea Brasted, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
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
If someone does bring up his teary picture, Wallake brushes it off.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 21 Dec. 2025
Judy brushes him off and leads the way to Cabin Twelve.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
With this new insight in hand, Carol brushes herself off and heads back to the hospital to visit Zosia and ask her directly if there’s any way to reverse the Joining.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2025
When Damien recognizes the photo from a news clipping, Adam brushes it off, claiming the man is his half-brother.
—Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 14 Nov. 2025
Noun
And as artists will, the damning revelations will be used to fuel communal creations to process and heal, to elevate whatever message artists produce with their brushes, pencils and instruments.
—Anissa Rivera, Daily News, 20 Mar. 2026
Typical choices for novelists are notebooks, pens, and laptops, while conservators use brushes, scalpels, and fine sandpaper.
—Literary Hub, 19 Mar. 2026
Toiletries needed are bar soap, toothpaste, face cream, body wash, compact mirror, body lotion, nail files, toothbrushes, floss, nonalcoholic mouthwash, face cream, deodorant, full-size shampoo, full-size conditioner, combs and brushes.
—Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Its hot water wash dissolves stubborn grease on the mop pads, while its specialized Curv design prevents long hair from tangling around the brushes.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Mar. 2026
Edge and corner reach Robot vacuums have never been great at getting into corners and along edges, but some models feature extendable brushes or mops that can get into corners and along floorboards.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
There’s also a zippered top section for tools, like brushes, tweezers, and nail files.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 15 Mar. 2026
Invasive brushes kick out native grasses that make valuable forage for cattle.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Diners have toasted to him ever since, trading stories of feeling ghostlike brushes along their legs during Lowcountry meals.
—Chelsea Brasted, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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
If someone does bring up his teary picture, Wallake brushes it off.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 21 Dec. 2025
Judy brushes him off and leads the way to Cabin Twelve.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
With this new insight in hand, Carol brushes herself off and heads back to the hospital to visit Zosia and ask her directly if there’s any way to reverse the Joining.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2025
When Damien recognizes the photo from a news clipping, Adam brushes it off, claiming the man is his half-brother.
—Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brushes
encounters
Noun
-
All of the encounters were with adults.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Throughout the level, usually before tough encounters, players have a Hatch that becomes a save point.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brushes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brushes. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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