brushes 1 of 3

plural of brush
as in encounters
a brief clash between enemies or rivals the two advance parties had a brush, but no one was wounded

Synonyms & Similar Words

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brushes

2 of 3

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of brush

brushes

3 of 3

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of brush

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 brushes
Noun
Hawaiian Tropic’s zinc oxide formula, a physical UV blocker, brushes on with a matte, translucent finish and leaves no white cast on most skin tones. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 1, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026 From clever watermelon slicers to brushes designed to slide into tight crevices, shop more surprisingly useful gadgets below. Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026 This year, over 13 million metal grill brushes have been recalled due to consumers reporting swallowing the bristles and requiring medical treatment. Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 Lymphatic facial brushes are gaining ground for daily routines because the fiber flex self-regulates pressure. Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026 Earlier this year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled more than 13 million Weber and Nexgrill wire brushes. Nick Lunemann, CBS News, 30 June 2026 Youthful brushes with fame can be exciting, but also overwhelming — and not necessarily sustainable. Louis Peitzman, Entertainment Weekly, 30 June 2026 Best pool brushes The wall whale classic is a strong pool brush perfect for getting rid of dirt and debris. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 Compact, mess-free, and surprisingly refreshing, these disposable brushes are too convenient to skip. Carin Ryan, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2026
Verb
Out on 6th Avenue, a woman brushes by me holding a tiny white dog. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 4 July 2026 Johnson brushes off the skirmishes, broadly speaking, as part of the governing process. Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 30 June 2026 Bryce Harper, star slugger, the Phillie Phanatic's best friend, and baseball hero to children of all ages, brushes his teeth. CBS News, 28 May 2026 These stocks have climbed for weeks as the market brushes off the narrative that AI is a threat to the cybersecurity industry. Morgan Chittum,matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 27 May 2026 Tokyo Stylez, Cardi’s hairstylist, brushes out a sleek brown hairpiece, and Erika la’ pearl, her makeup artist, dabs at Cardi’s face while the rapper scrolls through her phone, controlling the music. Jazmine Hughes, Allure, 24 Mar. 2026 When some chime in to say their doctors had been cautiously optimistic about treatments, Sarah brushes that aside. Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026 At the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, Commander Tommy Nester finds it behind the ceiling panels, brushes it off the uniforms that aren’t behind glass and sweeps it from the baseboards of the main hall. Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 1 Mar. 2026 See how his head brushes the sky. Roey Leonardi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brushes
Noun
  • The idea was for Carrol to become an eyewitness to the sheriff’s encounters with others in the office, to foil potential future allegations of improper conduct, Carrol testified.
    Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026
  • Matthews works for Florida Shark Diving, one of several shark charter companies in southeast Florida that promise up-close encounters with some of the state’s apex predators.
    Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • The Composer ties together all aspects of the factory (machines, conveyors, sensors, and logistics flows) into a unified simulation.
    Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 30 June 2026
  • To balance the market next year, flows through the strait need only recover to 65% of their pre-conflict level.
    Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • The former couple was very public with their romance, posting photos from their getaways on Instagram and exchanging kisses at award shows.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • There is some sort of tension after Olive hastily kisses Carlsen, who grabs her key-in badge to learn her name.
    Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • Between capitals, the ship glides through Austria’s wine country, with family winery visits and Melk Abbey structuring the scenic stretches.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 June 2026
  • The body then glides over the top of the windshield and starts flipping through the air over the roof.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • Zillow says that a pale pink bathroom could lose you up to $6,013, while a pale pink kitchen shaves an extra $4,201 off potential buyers' offers.
    Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 June 2026
  • The decision to move elections to November shaves several months off the existing terms of the mayor, vice mayor and commissioners.
    Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Victory Cruise Lines, which sails on the Great Lakes, says 2026 bookings are up more than 20 percent for itineraries such as a 10-night trip that sails on all five Great Lakes.
    Jane Wooldridge, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
  • Star of the Seas still sails out of Port Canaveral, housing guests on what is tied for the title of world’s largest cruise ship.
    Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • The lawsuit touches on a growing conversation over how companies are using technology, including AI, to push prices higher.
    Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • This creates a living blueprint of where sensitive information lives and who touches it.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • For fireworks, this means that visibility Friday along the coast could be impaired as the marine layer drifts in and out, but visibility will generally be much better Saturday, especially just a few miles inland.
    Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
  • Confrontation, feedback, accountability, the naming of a difficult dynamic, all of it drifts upward to the person in charge.
    Heidi Brooks, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Cite this Entry

“Brushes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brushes. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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