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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:

The San Diego Fire Department was near the scene, responding to a brush fire “next to the plane crash area,” said Candace Hadley, a spokesperson for the fire department.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 31, 2026

A clean produce brush might help, food-safety experts say, but skip the chemical produce washes.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 23, 2026

Those green ecosystems are far different from California’s; our neighbor’s fires generally arise in massive boreal forests, which do not have debris or brush concerns because they’ve never been logged or otherwise interfered with.

From Slate Jul. 21, 2026

Up until this point, the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has described his policy changes with a broad brush.

From BBC Jul. 20, 2026

I shove them into the bin until my fingers brush against a moldy Pierre.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

With Brunon’s guidance, they began by drawing small-scale sketches, and eventually they were dipping brushes into cans of paint.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 27, 2026

From the scaffolding, restorers have been meticulously filling in damaged portions of the frescoes and conservatively layering paint over bare sections with delicate brushes, their hands protected by gloves.

From Barron's Jun. 12, 2026

With a few tubes of paint, brushes and putty knives you might find at your local hardware store, fearless creation is something anybody can do.

From Salon May 2, 2026

Mugabe has had multiple brushes with the law.

From BBC Apr. 29, 2026

From Portorož he wrote to Regina of his charge: “Bobby brushes his teeth daily but has more difficulty in taking a bath.”

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Major wireless executives have brushed off Starlink’s threat to their businesses, but SpaceX’s latest commentary has investors worried anew.

From MarketWatch Aug. 5, 2026

I melted the butter and miso together until fragrant and faintly nutty, then brushed it over sourdough and baked the slices until deeply golden.

From Salon Aug. 1, 2026

Emily brushed aside the disappointment of finishing fourth to return to claim bronze in the uneven bars, with the iconic image of her sister cheering her from the stands.

From BBC Jul. 28, 2026

Brown-Forman and Wolf Pen Branch, a collection of Brown family members who own the majority of Class A shares, issued a joint statement that brushed off Sazerac’s unsolicited proposal.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 26, 2026

Just to test it, Jack barely brushed the tip of his index finger against the hilt, then yanked his hand back.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

Making a habit of brushing can prevent needing to put an older dog under general anesthesia just so a vet can clean the pet’s teeth.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 30, 2026

“This wasn’t someone brushing off a mistake, it was someone who holds himself to an incredibly high standard and was deeply affected by falling short of it.”

From Salon Jul. 19, 2026

While Le Pen beamed at the cameras, brushing off suggestions her deputy would mind being sidelined and insisting "our personal ambitions are absolutely irrelevant", he barely reacted and scarcely smiled.

From BBC Jul. 10, 2026

They are far more likely caused by forceful brushing, acidic drinks and processed diets than by natural chewing forces.

From Science Daily Jun. 8, 2026

Cam shook his head, slow, back and forth, his hair brushing her cheek, her forehead.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith




Vocabulary lists containing brush


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