flank
noun
the side of an animal or a person between the ribs and hip.
flanking
-
present participleof flank.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
“We executed a flanking operation to gain control over the Bab al-Mandeb Strait,” said Col.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
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
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
As he spoke, a camera found a woman wearing an Oasis T-shirt openly weeping — openly sobbing — and sent her image to the giant video screens flanking the stage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2025
We were coming up on the main public library, with the big marble lions flanking the steps.
From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan
