flourish 1 of 2

flourish

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word flourish distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of flourish are brandish, swing, thrash, and wave. While all these words mean "to wield or cause to move to and fro or up and down," flourish suggests vigorous, ostentatious, graceful movement.

flourished the winning lottery ticket

When is it sensible to use brandish instead of flourish?

The meanings of brandish and flourish largely overlap; however, brandish implies threatening or menacing motion.

brandishing a knife

When could swing be used to replace flourish?

While the synonyms swing and flourish are close in meaning, swing implies regular or uniform movement.

swing the rope back and forth

When might thrash be a better fit than flourish?

The synonyms thrash and flourish are sometimes interchangeable, but thrash suggests vigorous, abrupt, violent movement.

an infant thrashing his arms about

When can wave be used instead of flourish?

While in some cases nearly identical to flourish, wave usually implies smooth or continuous motion.

waving the flag

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 flourish
Verb
Even when the fruiting bodies themselves disappear in a week or so, the mycelia underground flourish as long as there’s organic matter to feed on. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 11 May 2025 Handmade traditions flourish along the salty shores of Cornwall, England. Rosecrans Baldwin, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2025
Noun
Burden will help the passing game flourish but doesn’t match the Bears’ needs, so this pick shows Chicago clearly is trying to load up on offense under new coach Ben Johnson. Ben Standig, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025 Jordan—physically static, but vocally free—flourishes when performing this kind of soaring music, and, in Nellie’s numbers, McAlpine’s haunting, Joni Mitchell timbre drifts beautifully down around him, the only warmth in a landscape growing increasingly wet and cold. Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flourish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flourish
Verb
  • But after a down season in St. Louis last year, Goldschmidt is thriving with the Yankees, hitting .346/.395/.506 through Thursday.
    Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 16 May 2025
  • By condensing historically separate processing stages into a single campus, the company demonstrates that advanced magnetics can once again thrive in the United States.
    William Jones, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Research from the American Medical Association found that nearly all doctors believe AI tools can only succeed if they're fully integrated with electronic health records.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
  • Both productions succeeded in repositioning Salome as a perverse instrument of justice.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • The company reopened an initial wave of nine locations on April 10, followed by a second wave of stores on May 1, and 70 more set for May 15.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 12 May 2025
  • The boycott drew widespread opposition from centrist and right-leaning Jewish groups, a wave of state-level legal challenges and led to a court battle that lasted years.
    Ben Sales, Sun Sentinel, 12 May 2025
Noun
  • Her look consisted of a bubblegum pink tweed top with a sheer ruffle overlay detail.
    Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 17 May 2025
  • Instead of a voluminous train, the dress showcased a playful pink ruffle at the back.
    Martha Ross, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • And it’s allowed cheating to prosper, in public, for profit.
    Derek Newton, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
  • Carrying the ball upfield is where Harrison has prospered in the current campaign.
    Beren Cross, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • Read the full review. More of a shrug than a gut punch.
    The New York Times, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
  • These killings doubled as cover for war crimes and a brutal shrug: what else to do with those cast as human refuse?
    James Wood, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The designs also showcase myriad varieties of gold filigree, and many are inscribed with lines from Egyptian love poetry.
    Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 1 May 2025
  • But most of his filigree is sold from his studio and many are custom orders.
    Sandra Jordan, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Trump kicks off Middle East tour President Donald Trump has arrived in Saudi Arabia for the start of three days of summits in the Middle East, blending business and diplomacy.
    Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 14 May 2025
  • An eleventh-hour Missouri path would arrive closer to the sunset of that one-year STAR bonds proposal than its sunrise.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Flourish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flourish. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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