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 flying buttress
An aerodynamic channel in the rear pillar creates a flying buttress, while the roof is painted black.
—
Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 11 Nov. 2021
Details – rose windows, gargoyles, flying buttresses – came gradually.
—Mike Hughes, Cincinnati.com, 26 Apr. 2020
The vault is punctured by three gaping holes, and the flying buttresses are propped up by giant wooden blocks.
—Aurelien Breeden, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2020
And the damage threatened the delicate balance of forces between the vault and the cathedral’s flying buttresses: The entire building teetered on possible collapse.
—Christa Lesté-Lasserre, Science | AAAS, 12 Mar. 2020
See All Example Sentences for flying buttress
Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 11 Nov. 2021
Details – rose windows, gargoyles, flying buttresses – came gradually.
—Mike Hughes, Cincinnati.com, 26 Apr. 2020
The vault is punctured by three gaping holes, and the flying buttresses are propped up by giant wooden blocks.
—Aurelien Breeden, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2020
And the damage threatened the delicate balance of forces between the vault and the cathedral’s flying buttresses: The entire building teetered on possible collapse.
—Christa Lesté-Lasserre, Science | AAAS, 12 Mar. 2020
See All Example Sentences for flying buttress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flying buttress
Noun
-
The European castle vibes continue throughout the entire Spanish Mission-style historic inn—think archways, flying buttresses, and towers that would make perfect backdrops for a photo session of your kiddo in their favorite Elsa, Cinderella, or Tiana costume.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
27 May 2026
-
Over the next five years restoration will extend to the three great rose windows of the west, north, and south façades, the flying buttresses of the nave, the west façade towers, and the windows of the nave tribune as well as the choir chapels.—
Michael T. Davis,
The New York Review of Books,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
Mozzarella has long been held on a pedestal, in particular the mozzarella di bufala of Campania, which has garnered considerable attention and praise.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The statue of the guardian deity, or rākṣasa, once flanked the entrance of the Prasat Chen temple at Koh Ker, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Cambodia, where its feet and pedestal are still visible.—
Anne Doran,
ARTnews.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Republican political consultants are skeptical that Paxton’s place on the ballot sways the needle for Democrats.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 June 2026
-
Just how the court will thread that needle remains to be seen.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flying buttress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flying%20buttress. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
