as in to wave
to put into view in a threatening or excited manner
She brandished a stick at the dog. brandished a petition signed by hundreds of town residents
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 brandish
Some use the idea as a bogeyman to scare up regulation, while others brandish it in marketing.
—
Matthew Hutson, IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026
Initial reports indicate that Ortiz did not brandish a gun during the incident, the sheriff's office said.
—Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Die große Nacht im Eimer (The Big Night Down the Drain), made that year, depicts a figure of indiscernible age with a cadaverous pallor and yellow splotches, brandishing an oversized phallus beneath a soot-black veil.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Officers from the Warrenville Police Department ultimately located the vehicle and began a pursuit as the driver continued to brandish a firearm, the state police said in the release.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brandish
Matthew Hutson, IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026
Initial reports indicate that Ortiz did not brandish a gun during the incident, the sheriff's office said.
—Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Die große Nacht im Eimer (The Big Night Down the Drain), made that year, depicts a figure of indiscernible age with a cadaverous pallor and yellow splotches, brandishing an oversized phallus beneath a soot-black veil.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Officers from the Warrenville Police Department ultimately located the vehicle and began a pursuit as the driver continued to brandish a firearm, the state police said in the release.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brandish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brandish
Verb
-
Now, Hilton rarely deviates from her signature look, of which long, perfectly curled or waved blonde hair is a key element.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
18 May 2026
-
After landing her final move, Liu waved and bowed to each corner of the arena, leaving no section without attention.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.—
Will Graves,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
-
On the one-year anniversary of Wilson's death back in February, Southern University announced its plans to honor him with a posthumous degree and shared a statement remembering the late student.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
No wonder that, in the 1940s, France produced ~2B gallons of wine annually, while the US made ~150m gallons.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
15 May 2026
-
Among his earliest campaign donors, according to city filings, is top unscripted producer Jeff Jenkins, known for producing The Simple Life as well as Keeping Up with the Kardashians and its offshoots.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brandish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brandish. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
