flank

American  

[flangk] / flæŋk /

noun

• flanks
  plural

1. the side of an animal or a person between the ribs and hip.

2. the thin piece of flesh constituting this part.

3. a slice of meat from the flank of an animal.

4. the side of anything, as of a building.

5. Military, Navy. the extreme right or left side of an army or fleet, or a subdivision of an army or fleet.

6. Fortification.

   1. the right or left side of a work or fortification.

   2. the part of a bastion that extends from the curtain to the face and protects the curtain and the opposite face.

7. Machinery. (on a screw thread or the like) either of the two vertical inclined surfaces between the crest and the root.

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verb (used with object)

• flanks,
  present (3rd person singular)
• flanked,
  past participle,  past
• flanking
  present participle

1. to stand or be placed or posted at the flank or side of.

   Synonyms:

   border, skirt, edge, line

2. to defend or guard at the flank.

3. Military. to menace or attack the flank of.

4. to pass around or turn the flank of.

verb (used without object)

• flanks,
  present (3rd person singular)
• flanked,
  past participle,  past
• flanking
  present participle

1. to occupy a position at the flank or side.

2. to present the flank or side.

flank British  

/ flæŋk /

noun

1. the side of a man or animal between the ribs and the hip

2. (loosely) the outer part of the human thigh

3. a cut of beef from the flank

4. the side of anything, such as a mountain or building

5. the side of a naval or military formation

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verb

1. to be located at the side of (an object, building, etc)

2. military to position or guard on or beside the flank of (a formation, etc)

3. military to move past or go round (a flank)

Usage

What is a basic definition of flank? A flank is space between the lowest rib and hip of an animal or person. To flank something means to stand at the side of something. In the military, a flank is a left or right side of an army or fleet of ships. Flank has several other senses as a noun and a verb. The space on your torso between your lowest rib and your hip is called your flank. Animals like cows and horses also have sides referred to as flanks. If a slice of meat comes from this part of an animal’s body, it is a flank cut or flank steak.

• Used in a sentence: The tree branch poked me in my left flank. 

More generally, a flank is the side of anything.

• Used in a sentence: The ball bounced off the left flank of the house. 

In this sense, flank is used to mean to stand or be located at the side of something. A person or thing that flanks something is called a flanker.

• Used in a sentence: Orange trees flanked both sides of the river.

Flank is used in a military sense to refer to the sides of an army. For example, if an army was lined up in rows of soldiers, the soldiers on either end of the rows would make up the army’s flank. An army’s flank is described with directional terms, such as left or right, or compass directions, that is, north, south, east, or west.

• Used in a sentence: The left flank collapsed under the intense arrow fire. 

Flank is used in a similar sense as a verb to mean to attack or harass an army’s flank.

• Used in a sentence: The Roman soldiers charged out of the woods and managed to flank the Greek army. 

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unflank
  verb (used with object)
• well-flanked
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• flanks
  plural

Participles

• flanking
  present
• flanked
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• flank
  simple
• flanks
  simple
• have flanked
  perfect
• has flanked
  perfect
• am flanking
  progressive
• are flanking
  progressive
• is flanking
  progressive
• have been flanking
  perfect progressive
• has been flanking
  perfect progressive

Past

• flanked
  simple
• had flanked
  perfect
• was flanking
  progressive
• were flanking
  progressive
• had been flanking
  perfect progressive

Future

• will flank
  simple
• will have flanked
  perfect
• will be flanking
  progressive
• will have been flanking
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of flank

before 1100; Middle English; late Old English flanc < Old French < Frankish; compare Old High German hlanca loin

Explanation

A flank is the side of something, whether of beef or a military formation. Although flank is specifically used to talk about a cut of meat, or the right or left side of a military formation, we also use it in those same senses for other objects or even metaphorically. You might, for example, refer to the more conservative flank of a political party. This word can also be used as a verb. If you see someone walking down the street with bodyguards on either side, she's flanked by guards.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

flank flanks flanked flanking

On Tuesday, Hunt Oil, another U.S. wildcatter with a long history of working in far-off jurisdictions, signed a production-sharing agreement with Venezuela to help pump oil from two fields on the country’s eastern flank.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

The Ghanaian found space down the right flank and fired a shot that Angus Gunn easily controlled.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

It and other countries along NATO's eastern flank including Romania and Poland have suffered repeated incursions into their airspace.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

Florian Wirtz, playing primarily as Liverpool's number 10 under Iraola, has drifted to that flank to provide a third option capable of playing centrally, deep or out wide.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

I have positioning to my advantage, so I flank left.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

It warned of hot volcanic debris flows down Fuego's slopes, with communities on the western and southern flanks at the greatest risk.

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

The researchers found that rift flanks begin to flatten relatively quickly once tectonic movement ends.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026

Trout, their speckled flanks gleaming in the sun, gulped them down one by one.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

England pushed more players forward after the second hydration break, were finding more space on the flanks and played with more urgency as DR Congo visibly tired.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

Harry, Ron, and Hermione, flat on its back, scraped against the ceiling as it dived toward the passage opening, while the pursuing goblins hurled daggers that glanced off its flanks.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

His San Gregorio Polyptych, painted in 1473, depicts the Virgin Mary holding an infant Jesus Christ, flanked by St Gregory and St Benedict as well as several angels.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

The Connecticut native can picture the opening ceremony in SoFi Stadium, where she will be flanked by her fellow American Paralympians.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

Instead of proposing Waddingham as a Bond co-star, she’s the expertly skilled agent flanked by a best friend with an equally formidable intellect – the Moneypenny to her 007.

From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026

A towering freestanding fireplace and sitting area flanked by olive trees anchor one end, and on the other, the pool area.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

We arrived first at the upper school campus, where Malia and I hustled past a gauntlet of news cameras and into the building, the two of us flanked by Secret Service agents.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Kinjo says that reefs flanking his seaside farm consist entirely of corals he cultivated, with their natural peers "no longer able to keep up with a tremendous increase in stress" in the anthropogenically polluted ocean.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

The activity in question will come from the sculpture being directly alongside the building’s main cafe, with outdoor tables flanking the fountain’s edge, and just a stone’s throw from the W.M.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026

The two brothers were close, flanking their grandmother on the royal balcony or smiling on the sidelines of a polo match.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026

Terry Haines, founder of Pangaea Policy, an analysis and forecasting firm, called the Washington-Delhi deal "an answer to those thinking the EU is flanking or gaining speed on the US on trade."

From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2026

The black dog and the little brown cat were watching him as well, flanking the girl, looking up at him intently.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman