to brandish

Examples

• All

• A mob gathered outside Gonzlez's home, yelling insults, and only dispersed when he brandished a pistol.

  Academic text (2003)

• Guy was brandishing an automatic weapon.

  Davy Crockett, Indian Scout (1950)

• I shall brandish my axe this year.

• And Jill is already on her feet, brandishing the power saw with both hands.

  Fiction book (1990)

• Mr. Strickland is brandishing a weapon.

  Fist Fight (2017)

• He was brandishing a knife.

  Vengeance: A Love Story (2017)

• "I have heard that you cannot be killed," answered the boy, brandishing a spear.

  Fiction book (1994)

• Dagmar runs out of view and reappears with an enormous gaff, which she brandishes excitedly.

  Fiction book (1990)

• On one, almost totally naked natives surged down to the shore, brandishing javelins and uttering ferocious cries.

  Fiction book (1991)

• He entered the room brandishing a sword, demanding their attention.

Synonyms

W

to wave

vsto brandish

584 1.0

To move your hand back and forth to greet or get attention

is often performed to threaten others rather than to greet or signal

S

to show off

vsto brandish

• Informal

216 3.2

To act proudly to get attention or praise

is commonly used to threaten or intimidate rather than to boast

F

to flaunt

vsto brandish

62 5.7

To show something in a very obvious way to get attention

is often used to intimidate or threaten rather than to seek admiration

F

to flourish

vsto brandish

5 4.9

To wave something in a dramatic way to attract attention

is mainly a threatening action rather than a harmless show

Antonyms

L

to lower

802 1.0

Make something go down in position, amount, or strength

C

to conceal

282 3.7

To hide something so others cannot see or find it

How Threatening

to menace

19 4.6

to brandish

28 7.5

to wield

124 4.4

gesture

140 2.3

to wave

64 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology