bray 1 of 2

verb

Definition of braynext
as in to grind
to reduce to fine particles bray the seeds using a mortar and pestle

Synonyms & Similar Words

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bray

2 of 2

noun

as in bleat

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bray
Verb
The need to placate a braying mob of X posters desperate to see Lemon in chains does not constitute an emergency. — Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026 Shortly after the New Year's ball drops (only once) in New York City, the Zohran Mamdani era will begin in the Big Apple and the political horses will be braying at the gates to start the 2026 midterm election season in earnest. — James Powel, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
Noun
Timbaland’s eerie, minimalist production — stuttering beat patterns, yawning silences between drum hits, synth riffs that bray and heave — was the ideal vehicle for Elliott’s slaloming, heavily syncopated raps. — New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026 My father mistakes it for the verb to bray, like a donkey. — Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bray
  1. grind
  2. bleat
  3. pound
  4. screech
  5. crush
  6. moo
  7. beat
  8. squawk
Verb
  • For decades, junior accountants learned their trade by reconciling accounts, manually entering data, and grinding through the month-end close.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This innovation—the mass manufacture of ammonia, vastly more efficient than scraping guano off remote islands or grinding mountains of bison bones—removed the most critical nutrient bottleneck in global agriculture.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of grind
Noun
  • Receiver pressed to one cheek, Molly listens to the bleat at the line’s other end, in the Peace Action apartment.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026
  • On the southern end of the loop, check out the interactive Bison Center to feel hides, hear the creatures’ varied grunts and bleats, and learn about the park’s efforts to sustainably maintain the herd.
    — Jess Hoffert, Midwest Living, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of bleat
Verb
  • A little girl pounding her fists and screaming; none of the visitors nor the staff were allowed to hold her to provide comfort.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The Pistons pounded the inside and scored 24 second-chance points.
    — Dan Gelston, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of pound
Noun
  • Farnsworth said the screech is typical of barn owls, who use it to communicate with one another.
    — Joseph B. Frederick, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Rihanna’s here, maniacal crowds are lining up outside shows to screech and wave at their favorite stars and days of runway events big and small lie ahead.
    — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of screech
Verb
  • Fish die by being crushed, by asphyxiation, or by barotrauma—when fish surface quickly, things sometimes go pop.
    — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Semiconductors have been crushed, down more than 15% this month.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of crush
Noun
  • Henprasert’s mother created the rib recipe, a traditional Thai specialty called kraduk moo tod.
    — Patricia Kaowthumrong, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2026
  • At the historic Rose Bridge Farm in Dresher, Pennsylvania, there's no alarm clock quite like a cow's morning moo.
    — Wakisha Bailey, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of moo
Verb
  • Drew Doughty had a goal and two assists, and Artemi Panarin added a power-play goal and an assist as the Kings beat the New York Rangers 6-3 on Monday night.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In a shocking upset, a student movement resoundingly beat longtime Serbian leader President Aleksandar Vucic, ending his time in power after 14 years.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of beat
Noun
  • In a separate incident involving a squawk 7700 in July, a Southwest Airlines flight departing Kahului, Hawaii, sent out a squawk 7700 after a passenger experienced a medical issue on board, the airline confirmed to PEOPLE at the time.
    — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
  • For aviation geeks or those who simply want to keep track of their plane’s unique flying data and route, squawk codes can be tracked on apps and websites like Flightradar24 and Flight Beacon.
    — Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2026
Definition of squawk

Browse Nearby Words

brawny
bray
brayed
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Cite this Entry

“Bray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bray. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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