BRANDISHING Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

brandishing

verb

present participle of brandish

as in waving

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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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 brandishing The video showed the suspects entering the smoke shop and brandishing handguns. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026 The Alameda County District Attorney's Office said she was charged with involuntary manslaughter, assault with a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm in public, and brandishing a firearm in public. — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 Curtis Green, 35, of Irvine was charged with brandishing a firearm at the party held in the VIP area of the Dahlia Lounge in San Francisco’s Mission District. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 Pupils clustered outside the doors of several schools in Paris and other cities in the morning hours, brandishing placards and megaphones and chanting slogans, and marches were planned later in the day. — Reuters, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026 Photograph by Brenda Bazán for TIME On July 4th—the 250th anniversary of America’s independence—Senate candidates in other states were marching in parades, waving miniature Stars and Stripes, and brandishing sparklers. — Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Sep. 2026 Officers had initially responded to reports of Stroud brandishing a weapon inside a vehicle. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Sep. 2026 Reach uses a crab trap to disarm a G-man brandishing an On the Waterfront–style hook. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brandishing

Verb

At the conclusion of an English-language service interspersed with hymns in Arabic, the priest introduced Salazar, who stood up in the front row, smiling and waving.

— Daniel Castro, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2026
Small protests were also held in financial capital Mumbai and tech hub Bengaluru, while student organizations held a demonstration in the eastern city of Patna, with people waving flags of their organizations and pushing against police barricades.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of waving

Verb

Trump blindsided Zelenskyy last weekend by announcing that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to target each other's energy facilities.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
The Eagles released a statement Thursday about the medical condition of their quarterback in announcing his looming absence, saying Hurts had been receiving treatment for nearly a week and even flew to and from London with it.

— Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of announcing

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brandishes

brandishing

brand name

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“Brandishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brandishing. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of brandishing

verb

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