brush
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:
Tuchel was quick to brush off Trump's criticisms when mentioned to him in a news conference later.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
Three homes were damaged by flames when a small brush fire ignited in Eagle Rock on Thursday afternoon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
Their father doesn’t dismiss their brush with the forest’s spirits as juvenile fantasy, either.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
Roll one corner of a tissue into a long, fine point and gently brush it across the tiny hairs around your lips.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026
He smiles and tilts his head down, allowing his lips to brush mine, much like they did the first time on the path, and I know things are okay between us.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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
Soojin stands up and brushes the dirt off her hands.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
Perisic’s cross had brushed the hair of teammate Igor Matanovic, leaving Mario Pasalic in an offside position when the ball reached him near the far post.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
But when French President Emmanuel Macron announced the loan almost exactly a year ago, he brushed aside the warnings to celebrate Franco-British relations, 10 years after the bitter Brexit referendum.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
U.S. stock futures were higher with Nasdaq making gains as traders brushed off the AI worries that jolted stocks in recent weeks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Still, Skogmo brushed off the prices, noting that this level of spending was “special for the World Cup.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026
My nails had grown back, and whenever I brushed my face with my fingers, I could feel hair pricking through the skin on my chin and cheeks.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
"I'm a football coach and I try to demand the very best and not settle for lower standards," said Tuchel, brushing aside any suggestion of tension inside the camp.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
There, Chip stands in front of the cheese case for a moment, brushing past the string cheese and the Parmesan shakers before settling on a packet of American singles.
From Salon ● Jun. 30, 2026
During his two-year tenure at Michigan, May was known for pushing the rules of modern college sports to extremes and brushing off any controversy that came with his tactics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
Dr. Giuseppe Mainas, first author of the study from King's College London, said: "Our study suggests lifestyle modifications could be important alongside proper tooth brushing for patients."
From Science Daily ● Jun. 12, 2026
I asked the man, brushing a pixie from my nose.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
Vocabulary lists containing brush
Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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Units 2–3
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