flying buttress

noun

Definition of flying buttressnext
as in buttress

Related Words

Relevance

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 The console takes a page from Corvette with a flying buttress separating driver from passenger — doubling as an Oh, Crap! — Tribune News Service, cleveland, 5 Mar. 2022 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 See All Example Sentences for flying buttress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flying buttress
  1. buttress
  2. pedestal
  3. needle
Noun
  • With their swollen, flaring buttresses and soaring heights of 80 feet or more, the trees are awe-inspiring when reflected in the dark water.
    — Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 25 July 2026
  • Mahama stressed the need for African governments to cut waste and improve governance as a buttress against increasingly frequent international shocks because a return to the old system of global support is very unlikely.
    — Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 5 June 2026
Definition of buttress
Noun
  • Each of the statues sits on a granite pedestal ringed with 36 stars, representing the states in the Union at the end of the Civil War.
    — Matt Viser, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Indeed, this shallow California rich kid fantasy reverberated throughout the culture, shining a light on how outward appearances and perception can be put on a pedestal.
    — DeVonne Goode, Parents, 26 July 2026
Definition of pedestal
Noun
  • My needle stayed in the red—my feet were too dry, potential friction.
    — Paige Williams, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The Jays hope to thread the needle with their moves, league sources said, but that was the plan even before this recent winning stretch.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of needle

Browse Nearby Words

flying at
flying buttress
flying buttresses
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flying buttress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flying%20buttress. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on flying buttress

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flying buttress

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of invidious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All