brandish
Americanverb (used with object)
-
brandishes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
brandished,
past participle, past
-
brandishing
present participle
noun
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
brandishsimple
-
brandishessimple
-
have brandishedperfect
-
has brandishedperfect
-
am brandishingprogressive
-
are brandishingprogressive
-
is brandishingprogressive
-
have been brandishingperfect progressive
-
has been brandishingperfect progressive
Past
-
brandishedsimple
-
had brandishedperfect
-
was brandishingprogressive
-
were brandishingprogressive
-
had been brandishingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of brandish
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English bra(u)ndisshen, from Anglo-French, Middle French brandiss- (long stem of brandir, derivative of brand “sword,” from Germanic ); see origin at brand, -ish 2
Explanation
To brandish something is to wave it about aggressively, as one might brandish a sword or tennis racket (if it's a particularly intense game). Brandish often implies that a person is wielding a physical weapon. In fact, brandish comes from the archaic French word brandir, meaning "sword." However, it’s also possible to brandish objects that aren’t weapons. If you win a bowling tournament, for example, you might be inclined to brandish your shiny new trophy in front of the other competitors. Be careful, though; they might mistake your trophy for a "brandir" and respond accordingly.
Vocabulary lists containing brandish
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As someone who has hyper-specific playlists to regulate my moods, I appreciate that whether you want to party, chill outside or brandish your middle finger to the world, the Salon DJ Collective has you covered.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026
He didn’t brandish it as a symbol or treat the moment like a breakthrough to be celebrated.
From Slate ● Jan. 3, 2026
He confirms that he’s been chipping away at a debut LP, which will brandish a more “fast and punchy” rock sound that recall his days playing basement shows.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2025
People on social media brandish gold-flecked pans and nuggets while showing off their equipment, ranging from old-fashioned picks to gold-separating sluice boxes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2025
Crossing Fourteenth Street, an unmedicated psychotic would brandish a toilet brush, his mouth moving wordlessly as, in my head, the young people of France requested a table with a view of the fountain.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
He brandishes a plastic wallet and shows the cards for his entire family.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2023
In “Violet,” her directorial debut, Justine Bateman brandishes a potpourri of cinematic tricks — voice-overs, overlaid text — to delve into the anxious psyche of a film production executive played by Olivia Munn.
From New York Times ● Mar. 14, 2022
Adia Barnes brandishes honesty like a feather, sharp enough at the tip to make a point, soft around the edges to soothe the ego.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 12, 2022
Notice how Hussman brandishes the shield of objectivity in making the case for his own perspective:
From Washington Post ● Jul. 1, 2021
Autumn scrambles up and brandishes her sword, baring her teeth in response before yelling, “For … us!”
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
Banners reading "249 articles in 22 days" were brandished at a Monday vigil in central London attended by thousands of people, in which speaker after speaker attacked the media's role in the scandal.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Stewart brandished his baton and was heard to shout "Murray Boys".
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
They brandished the Mexican flag seemingly everywhere: on banners, painted on cheeks, emblazoned on Jaimes’ tube top.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
And unlike Michael Drejka, she brandished her gun without discharging it.
From Slate ● Jun. 4, 2026
“Muggle women wear them, Archie, not the men, they wear these,” said the Ministry wizard, and he brandished the pinstriped trousers.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
Earlier this morning, she was huddled in a room full of men—each brandishing neatly bullet-pointed memos—drumming up talking points about A.I. safety that will soon be disseminated across Capitol Hill.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
Sporting a baseball cap and brandishing his smartphone like a weapon, Mordechai David dedicates his time to filming people against their will.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
We are here because Eatherly went well beyond brandishing a loaded epithet.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
At St. Göran’s, staff brandishing iPad minis closely track patient data while digital systems monitor costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026
“Something sure did,” I agree, brandishing my phone.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
