flying buttress

Definition of flying buttressnext

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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flying buttress
Noun
  • Together, the data points buttress worries from some Federal Reserve policymakers that the coast is far from clear for the labor market and may require more policy support — in the form of interest rate reductions — if the current state of play persists.
    Jeff Cox, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Scaring residents about high crime levels that buttress against factual numbers that clearly show the opposite, only reeks of desperation.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Gehry had designed the Price exhibition in close collaboration with the artist, working through every vitrine, table, and pedestal to shape the framework through which the sculptures would be encountered.
    Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
  • The tin box was discovered beneath a pedestal that once held a statue commemorating Civil War soldiers, which had stood in front of the Colorado State Capitol.
    Christa Swanson, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Delicate little needles in the windows that flickered up and then sifted back down.
    Caleb Crain, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Villa told the San Francisco Chronicle that the woman had cracked lips, cut feet, and pine needles in her hair.
    Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 23 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flying buttress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flying%20buttress. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on flying buttress

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