brandish
Americanverb (used with object)
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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
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
We waved the Mexican flag with pride, finding no need to brandish the Stars and Stripes that we kept in our hearts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 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
Barasch brandishes a piercing falsetto to impress upon us Orpheus’ innocent intensity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 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
"Please Score A Goal" was the message brandished in the direction of the Spurs players as they came out against Everton in search of their first in the Premier League this season.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 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
The Iron Maiden, registered in the Marshall Islands, and the Liberia-flagged Sino Ocean, brandished China links while sailing through the strait, then removed them once they were out.
From Barron's ● Mar. 9, 2026
Sam yelled and brandished Sting, but his little voice was drowned in the tumult.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
But over the past couple of years, every other person seems to have ditched their headphones and is brandishing their phones like radios set to a nightmare station.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
We are here because Eatherly went well beyond brandishing a loaded epithet.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
He arrives at election counts wearing a metallic dustbin-shaped helmet, a silver cape and silver-and-black armour and brandishing his razor-sharp, deadpan sense of humour.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
“You need to deal with what you wear and wear it comfortably,” the 35-year-old teacher told AFP, brandishing a sword and wearing blood-red contact lenses.
From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026
They knew that old Frank’s devotion to the house and grounds amounted almost to an obsession, and it amused them to see him limping across the garden, brandishing his stick and yelling croakily at them.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
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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.
