as in adjacent
having a border in common
flanking farms that share the same water source
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in adjoining
to be adjacent to
the guards flank the center on a football team's offensive line
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in envelopment
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flanking
Lauren Jones, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2025
Outlets including The Hollywood Reporter captured footage of Lena and Werner flanking the Godfather director, holding his hands and posing for photos.
—Jack Smart, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Two speaker grilles are at the bottom, flanking the USB-C port.
—PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2025
While that centers around burgeoning star Victor Wembanyama, flanking him are a pair of top-five picks from the last two drafts.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Colorado’s first two lines, assuming good health, look pretty set — centers Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson with some combination of Martin Necas, Artturi Lehkonen, Gabe Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin flanking them.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2025
Spectators gather on wooden bleachers flanking a long dirt runway, forming an arena that seats 4,000 people — more than the surrounding area's total population.
—Zach Jaworski, NPR, 18 Aug. 2025
Two homes flanking the Shultas Place residence were singed when winds fanned the flames outward, but firefighters were able to stop them from completely catching fire, the Hartford Courant reported.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2025
Symmetry seekers might opt for a pair of matching tables flanking a sofa.
—Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
Front Entry and Porch Updates Virginia designer Erin Tripodi is a fan of flanking a front door with large, symmetrical planters.
—Lauren Jones, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2025
Outlets including The Hollywood Reporter captured footage of Lena and Werner flanking the Godfather director, holding his hands and posing for photos.
—Jack Smart, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Two speaker grilles are at the bottom, flanking the USB-C port.
—PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2025
While that centers around burgeoning star Victor Wembanyama, flanking him are a pair of top-five picks from the last two drafts.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Colorado’s first two lines, assuming good health, look pretty set — centers Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson with some combination of Martin Necas, Artturi Lehkonen, Gabe Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin flanking them.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2025
Spectators gather on wooden bleachers flanking a long dirt runway, forming an arena that seats 4,000 people — more than the surrounding area's total population.
—Zach Jaworski, NPR, 18 Aug. 2025
Two homes flanking the Shultas Place residence were singed when winds fanned the flames outward, but firefighters were able to stop them from completely catching fire, the Hartford Courant reported.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2025
Symmetry seekers might opt for a pair of matching tables flanking a sofa.
—Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flanking
Adjective
-
Prosecutors say a fair trial would be impossible not only in this mountain community of fewer than 22,000 people, but also any other adjacent county because the suspect and victim were both well known.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
-
The Gary Housing Authority, which owns the schools, and the city of Gary are completing state and federal approvals for the demolition of Emerson and Horace Mann, and two adjacent vacant elementaries, Spaulding and Vohr.—
Carole Carlson,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Empress Tavern, the basement-level restaurant adjoining the theater which shut down during the pandemic, reopened this spring for private events and concerts hosted by a local nonprofit.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
30 Aug. 2025
-
By 1938, the Netherlands had a 1,170-mile main-road network, 866 miles of which had adjoining cycleways.—
Carlton Reid,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Soliman worked as a freelance journalist covering pro-democracy revolts in Egypt and neighboring Libya.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Still, in March, a collision alarm sounded in the cockpit of a Delta Air Lines jet when Air Force jets conducting a flyover at Arlington National Cemetery got too close, and in May, an Army helicopter circling the neighboring Pentagon, caused two passenger jets to abort landings.—
Aaron Cooper,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Soliman had been swept into custody, joining a record 61,000 people now in ICE detention.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Those traits all kind of culminated in me joining the Kansas City Defender around the time of the protests.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Since Ukraine is not part of NATO, Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 did not trigger Article 5, though the United States and other member states rushed to provide military and diplomatic assistance to Kyiv.—
Matt Spetalnick,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
His father landed on the beaches of Normandy during the allied invasion in World War II, while his sister was a captain in the Navy.—
Peter Burke,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Despite questions surrounding his confirmation, Hegseth secured support in January from all but three Republicans to become Defense secretary with a 51-50 vote as Vice President JD Vance broke the tie.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Assembled over three years, Bolaño’s rubric was simple, surrounding herself with pieces that inspired creativity.—
Keith Flanagan,
Architectural Digest,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
And in comments to state media after the drone incursion, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko also appeared to deflect blame.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The war and this week’s incursion continue to highlight that drone warfare will be a fundamental part of how current and future conflicts are fought and won.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Saturday’s forecast for Columbia calls for high heat and humidity, with temperature perhaps touching 97 degrees Fahrenheit.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Even Roki Sasaki seemed to find some velocity in his most recent outing in the minors, touching 100 mph several times.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flanking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flanking. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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