brandish

1 of 2

verb

bran·​dish ˈbran-dish How to pronounce brandish (audio)
brandished; brandishing; brandishes

transitive verb

1
: to shake or wave (something, such as a weapon) menacingly
brandished a knife at them
2
: to exhibit in an ostentatious or aggressive manner
brandishing her intellect

brandish

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of waving something menacingly or exhibiting something ostentatiously or aggressively : an act or instance of brandishing

Did you know?

Often when we encounter the word brandish in print, it is followed by a word for a weapon, such as knife or handgun. That’s appropriate given the word’s etymology: it is a descendant of the Middle English braundisshen, which comes from the Anglo-French brant or braund, a word of Germanic origin meaning “sword.” Nowadays you can brandish things other than weapons, however. The figurative usage of brandish rose alongside its earliest literal usage in the 14th century. When you brandish something that isn’t a weapon (such as a sign or a letter), you are in effect waving it in someone’s face so that it cannot be overlooked.

Choose the Right Synonym for brandish

swing, wave, flourish, brandish, thrash mean to wield or cause to move to and fro or up and down.

swing implies regular or uniform movement.

swing the rope back and forth

wave usually implies smooth or continuous motion.

waving the flag

flourish suggests vigorous, ostentatious, graceful movement.

flourished the winning lottery ticket

brandish implies threatening or menacing motion.

brandishing a knife

thrash suggests vigorous, abrupt, violent movement.

an infant thrashing his arms about

Examples of brandish in a Sentence

Verb She brandished a stick at the dog. I could see that he was brandishing a knife.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
So far, crews brandishing chain saws and handsaws have cleared 120 square miles over the past three years, with a similar area yet to be razed. Katharine Houreld, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Police were investigating the scene, near a commercial area, when the suspect approached the officers and brandished two handguns. USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2024 Joseph came into the room, unprovoked, started an argument, unprovoked, and brandished a silver Taurus revolver. Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2024 Others have hit the streets, selling flowers and brandishing squeegees to wash car windows. Miriam Jordan, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2024 And while it was believed that the forward had been tied down to his Ligue 1 side for longer because of an 'Mbappe 2025' shirt brandished to celebrate the renovation, his PSG contract expires in 2024 with a further 12 months optional on the Russia 2018 winner's behalf. Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 The broadcast anned to a woman in the audience brandishing a sword, showing off her samurai skills on a table where Phoebe Bridgers and Victoria Monét were seated. Caroline Brew, Variety, 5 Feb. 2024 Reaction to Lucas:Indiana House Speaker Huston expresses disapproval of state Rep. Jim Lucas brandishing gun Who can carry a gun at the Statehouse? John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 31 Jan. 2024 He was arrested on suspicion of road rage, brandishing a firearm and making criminal threats. Austin Turner, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2024
Noun
The image of the grotesque chimera which Beck brandishes is a pointer to this reality, and Beck isn't alone in his incredulity. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 20 Oct. 2010 Police have said robbers wearing hooded sweatshirts and masks entered the stores in groups ranging from one to five and brandish firearms while demanding money and products from clerks. Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Dec. 2023 Many brandish flags and banners for their team of choice, and a group of young women call to every driver by their first name, waving and jumping with unbridled enthusiasm. Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 12 June 2023 Renfield joins a support group, brandishes a self-help book like a protective crucifix and, during a makeover montage, swaps his gothic rags for khakis. Amy Nicholson, wsj.com, 13 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brandish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English braundisshen, from Anglo-French brandiss-, stem of brandir, from brant, braund sword, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English brand

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brandish was in the 14th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near brandish

Cite this Entry

“Brandish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brandish. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

brandish

verb
bran·​dish
ˈbran-dish
1
: to shake or wave in a threatening manner
brandish a stick at a dog
2
: to exhibit in a showy or aggressive manner
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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