as in waves
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
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Recent Examples of brandishes
Christa gleefully brandishes a page she’s ripped out of the phonebook that has her childhood address on it.
—
Hazlitt, 10 Dec. 2025
Harrelson brandishes that anything-goes leer that never gets old.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 Nov. 2025
The actor playing Brown wears a red hooded sweatshirt and brandishes a pocket knife similar to the one police say Brown used to fatally stab Zarutska.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2025
When a trompo taco is ordered, a cook brandishes a knife of ferocious sharpness, shaving a thin, broad piece large enough to overhang the corn tortilla it’s laid upon.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brandishes
Verb
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Good, in the driver’s seat, waves cars past her.—
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One of the all-time greatest Stranger Things moments occurs when Dipshit Derek excitedly waves at his new best friend, Mike Wheeler.—
Verb
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Now, the big question for analysts seems to be when, not if, Abivax announces a deal.—
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The third bill from Schroer would require a professional sports team that announces plans to relocate to another state to charge an extra $50 on every ticket sold and an additional 5% charge on all purchases inside the stadium.—
Verb
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Above and Beyond's website advertises services in at least eight states.—
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What if a store advertises returns but denies them anyway?—
Verb
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Like FFRs, this method can achieve escape velocities from the Solar System, but also produces dangerous levels of radiation in its wake.—
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Cannabis produces a complex suite of bioactive compounds, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), but how these molecules evolved has long been a mystery.—
Cite this Entry
“Brandishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brandishes. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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