as in sides
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in adjoins
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 flanks
ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Any deal will almost certainly need to involve a compromise as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt.
—Lisa Mascaro, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Jayden Bogle and James Justin even dared to offer an attacking threat down the flanks in the 5-3-1 shape Farke adopted.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Climbing season on Mount Shasta typically starts in May, after snowpack on the lower flanks has melted.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 10 Mar. 2026
On its website, a Miami-area med spa offers patients lipodissolver injected into their chin, abdomen, thighs, upper arms, and flanks — a procedure the promotional offer says takes only 20 to 30 minutes.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
Or removing the implants altogether, sometimes adding a breast lift and some fat grafting from the stomach, thighs, or flanks to create a subtly natural shape.
—Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
The beating death of ultraconservative activist Quentin Deranque in the French city of Lyon last week has pushed both the country’s far right and left flanks toward bellicosity, as both ends of the political spectrum blame the other for his death and the threat of further violence.
—Rafi Schwartz, TheWeek, 20 Feb. 2026
Easy—because le roi wanted to break the encirclement on his eastern and southern flanks.
—Josef Joffe, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Kristine Thomason, Outside, 9 Mar. 2026
But Hawley flanks the familiar creature from the movies with a variety of new monsters that get unleashed in the Maginot crash.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
Any deal almost certainly needs to involve a compromise as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Any deal will almost certainly need to involve a compromise as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt.
—Lisa Mascaro, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Jayden Bogle and James Justin even dared to offer an attacking threat down the flanks in the 5-3-1 shape Farke adopted.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Climbing season on Mount Shasta typically starts in May, after snowpack on the lower flanks has melted.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 10 Mar. 2026
On its website, a Miami-area med spa offers patients lipodissolver injected into their chin, abdomen, thighs, upper arms, and flanks — a procedure the promotional offer says takes only 20 to 30 minutes.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
Or removing the implants altogether, sometimes adding a breast lift and some fat grafting from the stomach, thighs, or flanks to create a subtly natural shape.
—Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
The beating death of ultraconservative activist Quentin Deranque in the French city of Lyon last week has pushed both the country’s far right and left flanks toward bellicosity, as both ends of the political spectrum blame the other for his death and the threat of further violence.
—Rafi Schwartz, TheWeek, 20 Feb. 2026
Easy—because le roi wanted to break the encirclement on his eastern and southern flanks.
—Josef Joffe, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
This short out-and-back route is the perfect recovery run, with relatively flat terrain that flanks the river.
—Kristine Thomason, Outside, 9 Mar. 2026
But Hawley flanks the familiar creature from the movies with a variety of new monsters that get unleashed in the Maginot crash.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flanks
Noun
-
Authorities say large portions of concrete are impacting both sides of the freeway.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Invite a calm talk about time commitments, because fairness grows when expectations are measurable and both sides understand what happens if plans change.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The dining room adjoins the kitchen in classic Victorian style, creating a fluid, convivial space.—
Annabelle Dufraigne,
Architectural Digest,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The city is building a pedestrian and bike bridge from the River Market to the Riverfront that adjoins the streetcar tracks.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Former Sony Pictures Television International exec Maria Fleischer joins as Executive Producer, while Charlie Silver arrives from House Productions to take up the role of Development Producer.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Stoudemire joins a lineage of Jewish basketball icons in the Hall of Fame, including Sue Bird, who was inducted last year, Nancy Lieberman, Nat Holman, Barney Sedran, Max Friedman and Dolph Schayes — the only other Jewish player to have his number retired in the NBA.—
Jacob Gurvis,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The French brand spent two years scouting its Shanghai home, which currently neighbors a Louis Vuitton pop-up.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2019
Verb
-
Graves’ exit has sparked intense speculation about his potential successor to represent Missouri’s 6th Congressional District, which stretches across northern Missouri and touches Kansas City’s Northland.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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For those surrounded by ocean ecosystems that are home to some of the country’s most active marine research communities, the science emerging from this species touches on deep-sea fisheries, conservation and the biology of aging itself.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
One of the key lessons UConn’s veterans took from last year’s championship run was the importance of focus, of quieting the noise that surrounds the bracket and the program’s unmatched legacy of success.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
21 Mar. 2026
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Littleleaf boxwood surrounds one planting area filled with iceberg roses.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flanks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flanks. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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