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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.
Examples of brandish in a Sentence
Andy Rose, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
Guns are brandished and criminal activity is inescapable, but the main activity of the characters is conversation.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
An affidavit prepared by an agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says at least six people are believed to have fired weapons and 12 possibly brandished firearms based on evidence of the case.
—Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
Like the gender phantasm, brandishing the word fascism functions much like the stance that trans activists have taken of insisting that their positions are not up for debate.
—Katha Pollitt, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2024
Video footage showed Holland brandishing a silver and black handgun, pointing it at the 14-year-old boy’s head and pulling the trigger.
—Jasmine Hilton, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
And instead of brandishing the logo about, the design tucks it discreetly into each frame’s temple.
—Max Berlinger, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2024
During an argument over a collision, the suspect brandished a firearm at the victim, then fled in a Lexus sedan.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2024
Later, Abu-Rayyan posted photos of himself in fatigues, brandishing a pistol, and giving a one-finger ISIS salute to the camera.
—Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024
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.
Dictionary Entries Near brandish
Cite this Entry
“Brandish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brandish. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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