BRUSHING Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

brushing 1 of 2

verb (1)

present participle of brush

as in flowing

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

brushing

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of brush

as in kissing

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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of brushing

Verb

Water is something children and adults use every single day from brushing teeth, taking showers, washing hands, to drinking water after playing outside. — Kristin Tsumura Tsai, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Sinéty developed a knack for finding within quotidian domestic and village scenes—a woman brushing her hair, a picnic in the sun—a dreamlike sense of mystery. — Felix Bazalgette, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026 This hermetic secrecy is how Allure beauty director Sarah Kinonen and I recently found ourselves in the bathroom of a suite in the Aman hotel on New York’s Fifth Avenue, brushing our teeth while members of the Dyson public relations team looked on. — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026 Protect tooth enamel by rinsing your mouth afterward and not brushing immediately. — Sherri Gordon, HEALTH, 1 Sep. 2026 Essentially, the longest cranial nerve in the body, traveling from the brainstem down through the neck and chest into the abdomen, brushing past the heart, lungs, and gut. — Anita Bhagwandas, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Aug. 2026 Hair to Help In September 2017, Rhys shared a sweet moment with Russell on the red carpet at the New York City Ballet’s 2017 Fall Fashion Gala, gently brushing the hair from her face before the couple posed for photos together. — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026 What Parents Can Do to Help Johns Hopkins advises parents to take their teens’ feelings seriously rather than brushing them aside. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2026 Advertisement That makes brushing about much more than fresh breath. — Angela Haupt, Time, 27 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brushing

Verb

One of the judges, Stephen Higginson, questioned whether the FDA's role is a reason pills are flowing into Louisiana.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
Take a few minutes to loosen up and get the blood flowing before starting your first interval.

— Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of flowing

Verb

The Rhode beauty founder posed in a tiny white nightdress while cuddling and kissing Justin in bed in photos shared on September 7.

— Lara Walsh, InStyle, 7 Sep. 2026
Ratajkowski and Gavras first sparked romance rumors in November 2025, when they were spotted out together in New York City, and were photographed with his arm around her and kissing multiple times.

— Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of kissing

Verb

JoJo, Messing and Newport quickly whipped out their phones to capture videos of the models gliding down the runway and posing right in front of them before continuing their trek around Cipriani in downtown Manhattan.

— Anika Reed, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
At times, perhaps surfing or more calmly gliding away from pressure will offer a better alternative to an all-out sprint toward the sideline.

— Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of gliding

Verb

As for how Jason’s family would react to him ditching his signature beard, his wife, Kylie Kelce, recently responded to a listener who asked how their four daughters might react to him shaving off his beard on her Not Gonna Lie podcast.

— Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
The 23-year-old and his Serbia team-mates won the Davis Cup for the first time in December 2010, and fulfilled a promise by shaving their heads in celebration.

— Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of shaving

Verb

Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors bring in ample light and overlook the backyard terrace’s heated pool, outdoor shower, and fireplace, while dimmable cove lighting furthers the warmth.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Sneakers and socks sliding across the floor, heels lifting and landing in time with the music.

— Erica Rosenfeld Halverson, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of sliding

Verb

The passage of play (below) lasted about 40 seconds from the moment Arsenal’s No 7 started drifting across the pitch, repeatedly calling for the ball to be played left.

— Art de Roché, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
But sometimes, inaccurate coordinates or a drifting boat make the search trickier.

— Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of drifting

Verb

Spanning automotive, steel, and agriculture, as well as government procurement, market access, and the future architecture of North American trade rules, the confrontation is now touching the deepest foundations of their economic relationship.

— , CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
The trade-off is that every option involves adhesive touching a surface.

— Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026