as in side
a place, space, or direction away from or beyond a central point or line
painted the name of the ship along its flank
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to join
to be adjacent to
the guards flank the center on a football team's offensive line
Synonyms & Similar 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 flank
Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
According to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, the two climbers, aged 19 and 20, called for help the previous evening after one of them lost his footing and plunged 700 vertical feet down Avalanche Gulch, the major gully on Mount Shasta’s southern flank.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 10 Mar. 2026
Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Crude oil prices have surged since the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is flanked by Iran and is ordinarily the conduit for one-fifth of the world’s oil output.
—Luciana Lopez, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flank
Noun
Senate Republican leaders have instead faced pressure for weeks from the right flank of the GOP to move the bill forward through what's known as a talking filibuster.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
According to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, the two climbers, aged 19 and 20, called for help the previous evening after one of them lost his footing and plunged 700 vertical feet down Avalanche Gulch, the major gully on Mount Shasta’s southern flank.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
In the Chicago area, there are also live bison at the Brookfield Zoo, and a pair of bronze bison in Humboldt Park created by artist Edward Kemeys — the same who created the lions that flank the Art Institute of Chicago.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Crude oil prices have surged since the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is flanked by Iran and is ordinarily the conduit for one-fifth of the world’s oil output.
—Luciana Lopez, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flank
Noun
-
After testing the 2025 MacBook Pro with Apple's M5 CPU, here's my in-depth, side-by-side comparison with last year's M4 MacBook on performance, features, and value.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff, has come under tremendous fire from all sides.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Senior midfielder Olivia Lujano is catalyst for offense, joined by senior forward Isabella Matty and sophomore forward Viviana Lujano.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
-
But as oil prices soared, he and his administration have been forced to consider new options -- including asking other countries to join the push with their own warships.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Eighteen of the suites/rooms are adjoining for families.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The dining room adjoins the kitchen in classic Victorian style, creating a fluid, convivial space.—
Annabelle Dufraigne,
Architectural Digest,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The surrounding ornamental designs of flowers and fruit include the arms of the Genoese Republic and the Custody of the Holy Land, the arm of the Franciscan order that shares guardianship of the Holy Sepulcher.—
Sarah Kozlowski,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The neighborhood Cadenabbia itself is pint-sized but perfectly positioned for exploring the surrounding area.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some people play college ball and never touch March Madness.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Pilgrims have long journeyed here and to and other nearby sites to see and touch places associated with Jesus’ life.—
Sarah Kozlowski,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Reagan Sports Complex will neighbor The Shops at Ronald Reagan, an 11,000-square-foot retail center expected to break ground in spring 2026.—
Julianna Duennes Russ,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Iran launched more attacks on Israel and energy sites in neighboring Gulf Arab states, and the region marked one of the holiest days on the Muslim calendar.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flank. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
