Meaning & use
flanking
Last updated
Positioned at or moving along the side of something, or attacking an enemy from the side rather than head-on.
See it in a sentence
Two guards stood flanking the entrance to the palace.
The general ordered troops to begin flanking the enemy's position under cover of darkness.
A note on using this word
A key military tactic since ancient warfare, flanking exploits an opponent's weaker side defenses rather than confronting their strongest front line.
Words with a similar meaning
borderingoutflanking
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