brush 1 of 3

noun

Definition of brushnext
as in encounter
a brief clash between enemies or rivals the two advance parties had a brush, but no one was wounded

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

brush

2 of 3

verb (1)

as in to flow
to move or proceed smoothly and readily a pop star brushing past a crowd of autograph seekers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

brush

3 of 3

verb (2)

as in to kiss
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

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 brush
Noun
Authorities said flames spread north and northeast, away from Somersett, with astonishing speed through extremely dry grass and brush. — Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 His main brush with emergency response appears to have been the department’s response to Hurricane Ian, where employees rebuilt a bridge to Pine Island in just three days and repaired massive cracks in the Sanibel Causeway in just 15 days. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
After filling our brushes with mouthwash from docking station reservoirs, Sarah and I brushed our teeth side-by-side (a first for both of us professionally). — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026 Owners should brush through the full coat several times a week, and often daily during heavier shedding periods, rather than merely smoothing the top layer. — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for brush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brush
  1. encounter
  2. flow
  3. kiss
  4. glide
  5. shave
  6. drift
  7. touch
  8. sweep
Noun
  • Cell phone video later obtained by media outlets also appeared to conflict with Castro's description of the encounter.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • In New York City, for instance, pedestrians remain far more likely to be hurt or die in encounters with cars, trucks, or vans.
    — Paula Span, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of encounter
Verb
  • For the traditional Telugu Hindu ceremony, their priest translated Sanskrit to English in real time, and the mandap was designed as a circle to represent how life flows into itself for eternity.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Millions of people across the floodplains of the Indian subcontinent depend on the water that flows downstream.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • The jeweler recently posted up-close photos of the ring on Instagram, as well as a snap of Lee wearing a white veil and kissing Posty’s head while showing off the sparkling rock on her finger to the camera.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 28 Aug. 2026
  • On a recent day, Ramadhan’s oldest child, not even 3, kissed the twins on the cheeks and recognized a photo of their mother.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of kiss
Verb
  • There are lots of brands that have worked to give us beautiful soft mattes that glide onto lids and don’t feel patchy or heavy like their previous counterparts.
    — Elle Turner, Glamour, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The way Brooks stomped, or glided, or moseyed into the end zone will be forgotten.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of glide
Verb
  • One of Goldman’s models suggests that Korea’s fast aging population could shave as much as 25 basis points from annual consumption growth over the next decade.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Luckily, Atlanta is home to a wider world of frozen desserts, from Indonesian shaved ice to Mexican popsicles.
    — Lia Picard - For the AJC, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of shave
Verb
  • The vehicle drifted to the right toward the shoulder, struck the woman and continued south on Franklin Boulevard, according to the CHP.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The montage ended bizarrely, with a clip of Clooney drifting into space to die in the film Gravity.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of drift
Verb
  • Her team said they were touched by the idea and are open to continuing the conversation, according to Lee.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Chinese cars are effectively banned in the United States through steep tariffs and regulatory restrictions, but that doesn’t apply to everything China touches in the auto industry.
    — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of touch
Verb
  • The rocks and melted water suddenly swelled the rivers in the valleys below, causing torrents of water that swept buildings, bridges and earth downstream in Tibet and Nepal.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Following Miller’s and Young’s plea agreement, Missouri lawmakers were divided in their opinions on whether to change the sweeping stand-your-ground laws enacted in 2016.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of sweep

Phrases Containing brush

Browse Nearby Words

brunts
brush
brush (aside or off)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brush. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on brush

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about brush

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All