Meaning & use
brandished
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“brandished” is a form of “brandish”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
verbtransitive
Past tense and past participle of brandish: waved something, often a weapon, in a threatening or showy way.
Grammar: Always takes an object: he brandished a stick.
Patterns
- brandish something at someone
- brandish something in the air
The robber brandished a knife at the cashier.
She brandished the winning ticket for everyone to see.
Protesters brandished signs outside the town hall.
Common combinations
- brandished a weapon
- A man brandished a weapon in the parking lot.
- brandished a knife
- He brandished a knife but never used it.
- brandished a sign
- Fans brandished signs as the team arrived.
- brandished a letter
- She brandished the letter like proof of victory.
Synonyms and how they differ
- waved
- It is neutral and everyday, with no hint of threat or showing off.
- flourished
- It suggests a proud, showy gesture without the threat that brandished often carries.
- wielded
- It means holding and using something with skill or power, not just waving it.
Opposites
Word family
- brandish verb
- to wave something threateningly or showily
- brandishing verb
- the present participle, meaning waving something in this way
- brandisher noun
- a rare word for a person who brandishes something
Commonly confused: brandished or branded?
brandished vs branded
Branded means marked with a brand or labeled, while brandished means waved about.
Practice
The angry customer ___ his receipt at the manager.
Choose one answer.
Brandished means waved in a showy or threatening way, which fits the angry scene. Branded sounds similar but means marked with a brand.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “brandished”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.