as in side
a place, space, or direction away from or beyond a central point or line
painted the name of the ship along its flank
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to join
to be adjacent to
the guards flank the center on a football team's offensive line
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flank
Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
And given the challenges from both left and right, our best hope is to strengthen a political center that brings together moderates who reject the ideologues on their flanks.
—Joshua M. Davidson, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026
Out back, a small sewage-treatment plant converts bodily waste from two flanking portable toilets into purified water, which is piped into a large tank in which yet another unclothed woman, wearing a scuba mouthpiece, floats for four hours at a time.
—Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flank
Noun
Fetterman was once a darling of the progressive flank of the Democratic Party in the lead-up to and during his 2022 campaign for Senate.
—Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
And given the challenges from both left and right, our best hope is to strengthen a political center that brings together moderates who reject the ideologues on their flanks.
—Joshua M. Davidson, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
Verb
Prepare to be awestruck during your first view of Crater Lake, a massive cobalt waterway flanked by a dome of steep crag.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026
Out back, a small sewage-treatment plant converts bodily waste from two flanking portable toilets into purified water, which is piped into a large tank in which yet another unclothed woman, wearing a scuba mouthpiece, floats for four hours at a time.
—Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flank
Noun
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At the most recent debate, hosted by NBC4 and Telemundo 52 on May 6, the seven candidates again clashed over housing and immigration, while Becerra and Steyer faced fierce attacks from both sides of the political spectrum, The Los Angeles Times reported.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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These are two elite teams led by masterminds on opposite sides of the ball in Kyle Shanahan and Mike Macdonald.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Seth was joined in the interview by his wife, Lauren Miller Rogen, and writer Sarah Leavitt.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
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However, Royce Young, a former ESPN reporter who is now a member of the Thunder’s front office, said Charania — who was a senior NBA writer for The Athletic before joining ESPN in 2024 — was simply doing his job.—
Mike Prada,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Henson moved to metro Atlanta as a toddler and grew up in Paulding County, with strong ties to adjoining Douglas County.—
Nancy Badertscher,
AJC.com,
7 May 2026
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Investigators say the hiker became stranded after getting lost in the Sampson Mountain Wilderness section of Cherokee National Forest, which adjoins national forests in Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Tennessee’s social media team went up and down Broadway, and the surrounding area in downtown Nashville to find lookalikes of key figures of their 2026 opponents.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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It’s mostly surrounded by embassies and law firms, not cafés or galleries.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Young and Elijah came to blows on the apron, knowing that as soon as their feet touch the ground, they would be eliminated.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
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With data centers the size of dozens of football fields combined sprouting up around the country, residents have protested the construction of AI infrastructure, which McKinsey projected to touch $7 trillion in capital expenditures by 2030.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The brewery, which opened in NoDa in 2012, also received support from neighboring hospitality businesses that offered help and temporary work opportunities for affected employees.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2026
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Prosecutors said the charge stems from Las Vegas Police Department officers responding to a call from a neighboring woman on April 12.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flank. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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