as in flowing
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
a pop star brushing past a crowd of autograph seekers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in kissing
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing
spiderwebs brushed her cheek as she walked through the basement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brushing
Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Tonight’s aurora chances could ramp up late on Tuesday, May 12, and spill into the early hours of Wednesday, May 13, if the upcoming CME ends up brushing Earth just enough to shake up geomagnetic conditions.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
The scribble art was placed right in the bend of her knee, with some of the design just barely brushing her lower thigh.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 11 May 2026
Instead of haphazardly brushing it into your palm or reaching for a dripping sponge, try a handheld vacuum for a far more efficient solution.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 10 May 2026
Add the flatbreads one at a time, brushing with olive oil first to get them extra crispy.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 9 May 2026
Along one wall, swatches of fabric hang in dense, vertical layers—florals brushing against checks, brocades against stripes—forming a kind of working tapestry.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 7 May 2026
Customers should boil water prior to washing their hands or face, brushing their teeth, drinking or cooking.
—Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 May 2026
When you’re done brushing your hair, air dry or diffuse your hair.
—Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 4 May 2026
Verb
The Bruins would benefit from brushing Joonas Korpisalo’s $3 million average annual value off their books.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Tonight’s aurora chances could ramp up late on Tuesday, May 12, and spill into the early hours of Wednesday, May 13, if the upcoming CME ends up brushing Earth just enough to shake up geomagnetic conditions.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
The scribble art was placed right in the bend of her knee, with some of the design just barely brushing her lower thigh.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 11 May 2026
Instead of haphazardly brushing it into your palm or reaching for a dripping sponge, try a handheld vacuum for a far more efficient solution.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 10 May 2026
Add the flatbreads one at a time, brushing with olive oil first to get them extra crispy.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 9 May 2026
Along one wall, swatches of fabric hang in dense, vertical layers—florals brushing against checks, brocades against stripes—forming a kind of working tapestry.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 7 May 2026
Customers should boil water prior to washing their hands or face, brushing their teeth, drinking or cooking.
—Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 May 2026
When you’re done brushing your hair, air dry or diffuse your hair.
—Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brushing
Verb
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The amphitheater’s Morton Salt birthright has creative juices flowing.—
Lisa Gutierrez
May 19,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
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More than 85% of the oil and natural gas flowing through the Strait of Hormuz goes to Asia, and many nations there have had to issue emergency energy rationing mandates.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Verb
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On May 12, Colbert sat down with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Pedro Pascal and wound up kissing both of them on the lips to the delight of his studio audience.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
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In another shot, Brittany shared a boomerang of Patrick kissing her on the cheek.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Celeste Ecoflyers’ aircraft design emphasizes gliding capability for safe landings even in engine failure, combining low weight with operational robustness.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
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With that in mind, Scott, Bournemouth’s gliding ball-carrier, is another who could help after an impressive season for a team who could yet finish above Liverpool in the table.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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This awesome little robovac-mop is literally shaving a full workday a week off her already insane I'm-a-mom schedule.—
Joe Salas
May 09,
New Atlas,
9 May 2026
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Sobbing while shaving head in…what’s that movie?—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Whitlock was able to recover and make a sliding catch to end the inning, but Wong did not return and was subbed out for Carlos Narvaez to catch the ninth.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
14 May 2026
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That led to bulkier versions that helped guard against limbs sliding between the cushion and tubes, ending with a final iteration that, much to Axelsson’s pride, some colleagues didn’t realize was filled with air until its inventor asked them to stand up and hoist it above their heads.—
Jack Bantock,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Seven gentle touches later, each nudging the ball only a few inches at a time, was enough to paralyse Diouf.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
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The French hospitality giant that pioneered the concept in 1950 has spent the past two decades nudging it steadily upmarket, phasing out its midscale portfolio and focusing exclusively on premium properties, often in more complex categories.—
Ashlea Halpern,
Time,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In another image, Brown was photographed floating underwater in a pool, her dark hair drifting across the bright blue water as sunlight reflected across the surface.—
Danielle Minnetian,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
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The same report notes that Hilton publicly disputes Becerra’s assertion of front-runner status by citing polls indicating a tight race, underscoring that the campaigns are aggressively contesting the narrative rather than drifting in ambiguity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Verb
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The system also produces a digital twin of the accelerator, a real-time virtual model that lets researchers test changes without touching the live machine.—
Deena Theresa,
Interesting Engineering,
18 May 2026
-
Owens, who has frequently criticized Hunter Biden and his family over his business dealings, drug addiction, and the controversy surrounding his laptop, previewed a wide-ranging discussion touching on addiction, politics, faith, and Washington’s political culture.—
Adisa Hargett-Robinson,
The Washington Examiner,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brushing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brushing. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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