Meaning & use
brandish
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To wave or hold up an object in a showy or threatening way so that other people notice it.
Grammar: Always takes an object: brandish a knife, not just brandish.
Patterns
- brandish something at someone
- brandish something in the air
The protester brandished a hand-painted sign above the crowd.
A man brandishing a baseball bat chased the thieves out of the shop.
She brandished the winning ticket and shrieked with joy.
verbtransitivefigurative
To show something off proudly or openly so that others will be impressed or convinced.
Grammar: Takes an object, often something abstract: brandish credentials.
Patterns
- brandish something as proof
The candidate brandished her record on jobs at every debate.
He brandished his degree whenever anyone questioned his advice.
Word forms
| third person singular | brandishes |
|---|---|
| past tense | brandished |
| past participle | brandished |
| -ing form | brandishing |
Common combinations
- brandish a weapon
- Police arrested a man for brandishing a weapon outside the pub.
- brandish a knife
- The attacker brandished a knife but ran when the alarm sounded.
- brandish a sword
- The actor brandished a sword and strode onto the stage.
- brandish something aloft
- Fans brandished flags aloft as the team bus arrived.
- brandish something at someone
- He brandished a rolled newspaper at the barking dog.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wave
- Wave is neutral and covers any back-and-forth motion, whereas brandish adds a sense of display or threat.
- flourish
- Flourish suggests a graceful, proud flick to show something off, while brandish can feel more aggressive.
- wield
- Wield means to hold and actually use a tool or weapon with control, but brandish only means to show it off.
- flaunt
- Flaunt is about showing off wealth or success to provoke envy, and is less about physically waving something.
Opposites
Word family
- brandisher noun
- a person who brandishes something (rare)
- brandishing noun
- the act of waving a weapon, as in a legal charge
- brand noun
- an old poetic word for a sword, the root of this verb
Commonly confused: brandish or wield?
brandish vs wield
To wield something is to handle it skillfully and use it, while to brandish it is only to wave it about for effect.
Practice
The angry customer ___ his receipt at the cashier and demanded a refund.
Choose one answer.
Brandished fits because he waved the receipt in a showy, confrontational way. Wielded suggests skilled use of a tool, and concealed means the opposite of showing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “brandish”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.