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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
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
Details – rose windows, gargoyles, flying buttresses – came gradually.
—Mike Hughes, Cincinnati.com, 26 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
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
Details – rose windows, gargoyles, flying buttresses – came gradually.
—Mike Hughes, Cincinnati.com, 26 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
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The mountains rise up like a curtain wall, crowned by a long buttress of snowfields and ice against the blue sky.—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
24 May 2025
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These scans combined with subsequent scans to contribute to a 3D model with detailed representations of the cathedral’s flying buttresses, arches, ribbed vaults, intricate wood carvings and stained glass, guiding the more than $700 million restoration.—
Ronald Bisio,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
Front-loading machines offer easier access, while pedestals add height to reduce bending down.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 June 2025
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But when one partner becomes the center of the other’s emotional universe, that pedestal can quickly turn into a trap for both people involved.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
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That’s the kind of real-world utility that actually moves the needle.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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The Senate begins its marathon debate about President Donald Trump's package of legislative priorities as Republicans try to thread the needle for tax cuts, Medicaid reforms and border security funding with a narrow majority.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flying buttress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flying%20buttress. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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