as in grinding
to reduce to fine particles
bray the seeds using a mortar and pestle
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of braying
The need to placate a braying mob of X posters desperate to see Lemon in chains does not constitute an emergency.
—
Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
Shortly after the New Year's ball drops (only once) in New York City, the Zohran Mamdani era will begin in the Big Apple and the political horses will be braying at the gates to start the 2026 midterm election season in earnest.
—James Powel, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
The cool, quiet spring air is punctuated only by Kasbah’s small pack of mules braying nearby, and the tinkling of the riad’s fountain.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2025
As the insignias are cut off his uniform and his sword broken, Dreyfus (played by Louis Garrel) loudly declares his innocence, both to his brothers-in-arms and to the braying public outside the gates.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2025
Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
Shortly after the New Year's ball drops (only once) in New York City, the Zohran Mamdani era will begin in the Big Apple and the political horses will be braying at the gates to start the 2026 midterm election season in earnest.
—James Powel, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
The cool, quiet spring air is punctuated only by Kasbah’s small pack of mules braying nearby, and the tinkling of the riad’s fountain.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2025
As the insignias are cut off his uniform and his sword broken, Dreyfus (played by Louis Garrel) loudly declares his innocence, both to his brothers-in-arms and to the braying public outside the gates.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for braying
Verb
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Many came from grinding poverty and squalor.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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For Jones, doing his part meant observing, which led to at least four officers jumping on his back, handcuffing him, crushing his legs, and grinding his forehead into the frozen concrete.—
Evan Minsker,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With its newest release, Canadian RV specialist Leisure Travel Vans (LTV) adjusts focus from luxurious leisure to heart-pounding adventure travel.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
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But if Robert Icke’s pulse-pounding Broadway production is any indication, Sophocles’ 2,500-year-old Greek tragedy still has the ability to shock.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For a fraction of the cost of private colleges — and often far less than out-of-state public universities — CSU offers students a genuine opportunity to build skills, and increase lifetime earnings without crushing debt.—
Andrea Mays,
Oc Register,
8 Feb. 2026
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Watts on Tuesday also highlighted a September 2025 incident in which a worker suffered a crushing injury inside a tunnel after being pinned between two 4,000-foot pipes.—
Jessica Hill,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Seahawks used a first-round bye to rest, heal and prepare, and then routed the 49ers in a divisional-round game before beating the Rams, 31-27, to advance to the Super Bowl.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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The Patriots finished 14-3 but defeated only one team with a winning record in the regular season, beating up on the likes of the Jets (twice), Giants, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals en route to an AFC East title.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Braying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/braying. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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