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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

There are no little bulges to accommodate the eyes, just cozy silk brushing lightly against my eyelids. — Jenny Hughes, The Spruce, 29 Oct. 2026 Carefully dig up the mother plant or remove it from the container, brushing soil from clumps of roots or rhizomes. — Lauren David, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2026 In the trailer, the camera pans over to Kristen Bell and Adam Brody’s characters in their bathroom, brushing their teeth in tandem. — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 23 Oct. 2026 Like brushing your teeth or taking a shower, take good care of your online life, and do it often. — Cameron Peters, Vox, 23 Oct. 2026 In one scene, Evans stands completely naked in the shower, brushing his teeth with the bathroom door wide open and the cameras rolling, as Fielder stands awkwardly nearby. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 What if brushing your hair could do far more than simply detangling? — Laura Sandroni, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026 Exhausted by administrators continuously brushing off the toxic hate, her family is taking the district to court. — Staff, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Buddy, a touchscreen bedside alarm clock designed for kids, turns chores like brushing teeth and picking up toys into—almost—fun. — Richard Eisenberg, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brushing

Verb

Another key feature are the balconies overlooking the gently flowing Shirakawa River.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
The site says consistency matters more than duration and that practitioners can work up to 1 to 2 hours a day, though even 1-minute breaks between tasks help keep energy flowing.

— Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of flowing

Verb

Jurors also found the actor guilty of kissing and groping another woman at a London radio station in 2004 or 2005 and of anally raping a fan at his home after meeting her backstage at one of his comedy shows in 2009.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Peach-pink blush appeared high on her cheekbones, kissing her lower waterline, while a dark brown lipstick completed the look.

— Arushi Jacob, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of kissing

Verb

At times jutting outward and at others gliding along the grain of electronic texture, Chen’s voice tracks the form of the instrumentals like a sculptor working in relief.

— James Gui, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2026
It is carried to high speed and altitude by a rocket booster before separating and gliding through the atmosphere toward its target.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of gliding

Verb

Men in some communities stop shaving, while women may remove their jewelry.

— Shushan Karapetian, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026
Like almost winning a race, almost shaving a second off my time for the 3200m run, my event in high school, the one that got me into college, a recruit for someone else to gamble on.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of shaving

Verb

Coinbase — The cryptocurrency exchange's stock rallied 8% Tuesday after sliding 15% in the three trading days through Monday.

— Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
New England started the second half better, and Peyton Miller set up its go-ahead goal brilliantly, beating Gonzalo Lujan on the dribble to get around the right corner and into the penalty area before sliding a pass toward the penalty spot.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of sliding

Verb

The right combination of nutrients (think magnesium, tryptophan, and complex carbohydrates) can actually steady blood sugar through the night, nudging the body towards better melatonin and serotonin production.

— Patsy Anthony, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026
Rounds of streaming price hikes are nudging more viewers to cheaper ad tiers, with significant international growth potential.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of nudging

Verb

Five people, including two children, were rescued this week in the South Pacific island nation of Kiribati after three months drifting at sea in a 20-foot skiff, authorities said.

— CBS News, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
Meanwhile, crash cymbals and electric guitar keep Rowland’s Carolina drawl from drifting too far into a folk sound.

— Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of drifting

Verb

Moore was convicted in 2013 in an unrelated incident of inappropriately touching a 16-year-old boy.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Four years later, that team runs 40% cheaper and 94% of routine employee questions get resolved without a person touching them.

— Billy Biggs, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026