brand

1 of 2

noun

ˈbrand 

1

a

: a charred piece of wood

b

: firebrand sense 1

c

: something (such as lightning) that resembles a firebrand

2

: sword

3

a(1)

: a mark made by burning with a hot iron to attest manufacture or quality or to designate ownership

(2)

: a printed mark made for similar purposes : trademark

b(1)

: a mark put on criminals with a hot iron

(2)

: a mark of disgrace : stigma

the brand of poverty

4

a

: a class of goods identified by name as the product of a single firm or manufacturer : make

b

: a characteristic or distinctive kind

a lively brand of theater

c

: brand name sense 2

d

: a public image, reputation, or identity conceived of as something to be marketed or promoted

Future political offices or appointments appear out of the question now, so he is focusing on rebuilding his brand in Hollywood …

—Elizabeth McNeil et al.

The comedian Dane Cook apparently believes he is building his brand by pumping out a steady stream of comments on Twitter …

—Daniel Lyons

5

: a tool used to produce a brand

brand

2 of 2

verb

branded; branding; brands

transitive verb

1

: to mark with a brand

2

: to mark with disapproval : stigmatize

he was branded a coward

3

: to impress indelibly

brand the lesson on his mind

brander noun

Synonyms of brand

Noun

• trademark
• label

Verb

• etch
• engrave
• imprint

Examples of brand in a Sentence

Noun

What brand are those jeans you are wearing?

The store sells a variety of shoe brands.

I don't like his brand of humor.

a lively brand of theater

Verb

They no longer brand their cattle.

The exact words my father spoke on my graduation day are branded in my memory.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for nine consecutive weeks, became an instant hallmark of the mid-2000s, and cemented Ne-Yo’s brand of heartfelt autofiction. — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026

Chinese brands captured nearly a quarter of the country’s new-car market that month. — Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026

Verb

Kemo Sabe The immensely popular, high-end western store out of Aspen set up shop in Jackson a few years back, hawking its splurge-worthy hats—which you can get branded with your initials—cowboy boots, belt buckles, bolo ties, and more. — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026

In the last year, a few companies have begun to market off-label prescriptions of GLP-1s, both branded and compounded, to treat alcohol use disorder and other addictions. — Katie Palmer, STAT, 22 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, torch, sword, from Old English; akin to Old English bærnan to burn

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing brand

• brand name
• brand-new
• co-brand
• leading brand
• name brand
• off-brand
• on brand
• own-brand
• store brand

Rhymes for brand

• band
• banned
• bland
• canned
• fanned
• gland
• lande
• mande
• manned
• panned
• planned
• sande

Kids Definition

brand

1 of 2 noun

ˈbrand 

1

: a burnt or burning piece of wood

2

a

: a mark made by burning (as on cattle) to show ownership, maker, or quality

b

: a printed mark made for similar purposes : trademark

3

a

: a mark once put on criminals with a hot iron

b

: a mark of disgrace : stigma

4

a

: a class of goods identified as the product of a single maker

b

: a particular kind : variety

brand

2 of 2 verb

1

: to mark with or as if with a brand

2

: to describe or identify with a word that expresses disapproval

was branded a coward