as in waved
to put into view in a threatening or excited manner
She brandished a stick at the dog. brandished a petition signed by hundreds of town residents
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Recent Examples of brandished
Rosen referenced cases where prosecutors sought an order for a man who had posted social-media threats involving the San Jose Convention Center, and for a county employee who openly brandished and racked a handgun at work.
—
Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Dowdle hasn’t brandished the chip on his shoulder much publicly this year.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors had previously argued Collins posed a danger for bringing a weapon into a volatile setting, though Kling maintained his client never brandished the firearm.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Video captured at the scene shows chaos, with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police running with firearms brandished in a crowd of people gathered everywhere around the shopping plaza.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 21 Sep. 2025
One of the motorists brandished a weapon and gunshots were fired.
—Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 18 Sep. 2025
Many more incidents are categorized as defensive gun uses—in which a firearm is deployed, or brandished, in order to deter a crime.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2025
Two drivers got into an argument before one of them, Jesus Preciado Dousten, 33, allegedly brandished a gun and fired a shot in a random direction, according to Glendale police spokesperson Sgt.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
The occupants of two vehicles got into an argument before one of the drivers, Jesus Preciado Dousten, 33, brandished a firearm and fired a shot in a random direction, according to Glendale police spokesperson Sgt.
—Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Dowdle hasn’t brandished the chip on his shoulder much publicly this year.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors had previously argued Collins posed a danger for bringing a weapon into a volatile setting, though Kling maintained his client never brandished the firearm.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Video captured at the scene shows chaos, with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police running with firearms brandished in a crowd of people gathered everywhere around the shopping plaza.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 21 Sep. 2025
One of the motorists brandished a weapon and gunshots were fired.
—Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 18 Sep. 2025
Many more incidents are categorized as defensive gun uses—in which a firearm is deployed, or brandished, in order to deter a crime.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2025
Two drivers got into an argument before one of them, Jesus Preciado Dousten, 33, allegedly brandished a gun and fired a shot in a random direction, according to Glendale police spokesperson Sgt.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
The occupants of two vehicles got into an argument before one of the drivers, Jesus Preciado Dousten, 33, brandished a firearm and fired a shot in a random direction, according to Glendale police spokesperson Sgt.
—Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brandished
waved
Verb
-
Employees waved cars toward spots in the grass.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
He was helped on to a medical cart and waved to the crowd as he was taken off the field.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brandished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brandished. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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