brandish
Americanverb (used with object)
-
brandishes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
brandished,
past participle, past
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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
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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
Miss Lilian would yell and brandish her cane.
From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn
He brandishes a plastic wallet and shows the cards for his entire family.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2023
She brandishes her shotgun like a Balkan Elmer Fudd.
From New York Times ● Mar. 10, 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
As Jean Arp once said, “My wife brandishes compass and ruler day and night,” and that is more than evident from the taut perfection of many of her best geometric designs.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 31, 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
For support, Weinstein brandished a photograph of the two of them taken in 1997 during the Oscar party his company Miramax hosted at Beverly Hills’ Peninsula Hotel.
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 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
They blew whistles, sounded vuvuzelas and brandished banners.
From BBC ● May 8, 2026
Griffins flew back and forth in the sky, cawing, while knights sitting on their backs brandished lances, spears, and bows.
From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
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
A major difference from today: Rich kids of the era were more interested in garment quality than brandishing labels, said Marsh, the costume designer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Dozens of people also paraded through the village on "salengs" -- scooters with sidecars used locally to transport coconuts -- brandishing placards featuring images of healthy, smiling livers.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
The boys hooted and ran the length of our 17 Janvier lane brandishing their precious Mars bars.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
