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flanked

verb

past tense of flank
as in adjoined
to be adjacent to the guards flank the center on a football team's offensive line

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 flanked Former First Lady Laura Bush was again in the front row, flanked this year by philanthropist Lee Ann White and Dallas Cowboys owners Gene and Jerry Jones. — Holly Haber, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026 Clemishire, flanked by supporters outside the Texas Supreme Court, said she’s lived with the consequences of what Morris did to her for more than 40 years. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Sep. 2026 Yoro and Heaven were flanked by the more experienced Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, but their presence did little to bring calm to a defence that looked disjointed and nervous. — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 Programmed in a cream blouse and flanked by Edison bulbs and a flamingo, Norwood sat there ready for an interview. — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026 Major population centers Philadelphia and Pittsburgh both are flanked by rivers. — Kaleigh Yost, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026 In a selfie that appeared to be taken by Brandon, Demetriades could be seen holding up her ring finger to show off a large diamond center stone, which was flanked by sparkling diamonds on each side on a gold band. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026 Affleck was flanked at the film’s press conference by Adelaide Clemens, Scoot McNairy, Emily Alyn Lind, actress-producer Caylee Cowan — Affleck’s partner — and 85 year-old screen legend Nick Nolte. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026 In the following photos, Justin is seen snuggling on the couch with his son, in another candid selfie with Hailey, and the post concludes with a photo of a golf club flanked by a bunch of golf balls. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flanked
  1. adjoined
  2. joined
  3. surrounded
  4. touched
Verb
  • Then, another 20-year-old man, Daktari Rose Deacon, of Hyde Park, left a bathroom that adjoined the bedroom, according to police, who searched the bathroom and found another loaded firearm with an extended magazine.
    — Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 20 July 2026
  • Two double bedrooms and a single bedroom are tucked at the end of the main floor, and are adjoined by a large outdoor terrace.
    — Bridget Borgobello July 03, New Atlas, 4 July 2026
Definition of adjoined
Verb
  • Keating, the top Democrat on the committee’s Europe panel, was joined by every other panel Democrat as well as the top Democrat on the full committee.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The 26-year-old joined her hometown NWSL club in March on a contract through 2030 but has yet to feature for the club due to injury.
    — Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of joined
Verb
  • Lenin and Trotsky believed that their Bolshevik Revolution would succeed only when the Soviet Union was surrounded by other Communist states.
    — Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Leary said that once the riders were surrounded on the bridge, police took them into custody without incident.
    — Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of surrounded
Verb
  • Football cannot be expected to answer societal ills, but this is the sort of area in which the club’s foundation does its invaluable outreach work, a place touched by those statistics about deprivation and crime.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Either the Raiders have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, or the Dolphins have one of the worst pass rushing units this season because Kirk Cousins’ jersey barely got touched.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of touched

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Cite this Entry

“Flanked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flanked. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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