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Definitions

brush

[bruhsh] / brʌʃ /
NOUN
tool with bristles for cleaning
Synonyms






VERB
clean, prepare by whisking
Synonyms
Antonyms
STRONGEST


Usage

What are other ways to say brush?

A brush is a brief encounter or skirmish: a brush with the law. Struggle implies vigorous bodily effort or violent exertion: a hand-to-hand struggle. Clash implies a direct and sharp collision between opposing parties, efforts, interests, etc.: a clash of opinions.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

She said she just wanted to "brush it under the carpet".

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

The railroads responded by fitting spark arresters to their engines and clearing brush along the tracks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

She first picked up a brush as a married mother of three in her thirties, and only after her father’s death.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026

If you didn’t brush your teeth well enough, you will eventually be paying for that at the dentist!

From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2026

I unscrew the bottle and pull the brush from the pot of dark red liquid.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

After so long on the road, driving past despair dotted along the road’s shoulders, Day brushes off a cry for help with a joke.

From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026

After collecting the cells, the team removes the material from the brushes and uses forensic-level, next-generation sequencing technologies to isolate and amplify genetic sequences.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

Daniele Garner brushes a yak at the Pettee Ranch.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026

Speaking from their home in Tuscaloosa, Ala., apart from Weaver, Allman brushes off such criticism.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

As I’m trying to steady my breath, something soft brushes against my fingers.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

The S&P 500 was trading only marginally below its record highs on Friday, as stocks brushed off early weakness to mount a late-day comeback.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 27, 2026

And yet, Anderson’s “Resident Evil” has always been the butt of the joke, brushed off largely because his movies dared to be different when people wanted more of the same.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

For decades, testosterone deficiency was overlooked and under-researched, and, for many men, symptoms were brushed off as natural signs of aging.

From Slate ● Sep. 13, 2026

Despite the drama that has ensued since trade talks between the U.S. and its northern neighbor collapsed last Friday, bank CEOs brushed off the potential fallout during earnings calls this week.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

So Anastasia picked up her hairbrush again, brushed Sam's curls carefully five times, and patted him on his behind fondly.

From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry

But Dyson, 79 years old, spent six years inventing an AI-powered toothbrush that promises to floss teeth at the same time as brushing them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

Edison explained structure brushing in an article last year, describing how it cleared all vegetation around certain equipment, creating a 10-foot barrier to reduce the fire risk.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

After initially brushing off LLMs, DeepMind was developing its own chatbots.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026

These included repeated brushing, chewing forces, and contact with acidic foods that can gradually dissolve enamel.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026

After hanging my day clothes in my cubby and brushing my teeth with our homemade mint scrub, I crawl into bed.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy




Vocabulary lists containing brush


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