brushed 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of brushednext
as in rubbed

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brushed

2 of 3

verb (1)

past tense of brush
as in flowed
to move or proceed smoothly and readily a pop star brushing past a crowd of autograph seekers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

brushed

3 of 3

verb (2)

past tense of brush
as in kissed
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing spiderwebs brushed her cheek as she walked through the basement

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 brushed
Adjective
Made with brushed microfiber that’s soft to the touch, each 20x30-inch queen-sized pillowcase is shrink- and fade-resistant, and comes in a variety of colors, too. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Sep. 2025 The brushed interior feels soft directly against the skin, allowing this piece to be worn on its own, to boot. — Lisa Jhung, Outside Online, 20 Jan. 2023
Verb
Russia’s top diplomat Saturday brushed off what’s believed to have been the first face-to-face meeting with his German counterpart since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. — Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026 Russia’s top diplomat on Saturday brushed off what’s believed to have been the first face-to-face meeting with his German counterpart since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. — ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for brushed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brushed
  1. burnished
  2. flowed
  3. kissed
  4. glossy
  5. drifted
  6. shaved
  7. glistening
  8. glided
Adjective
  • One imagines her sweeping through arched thresholds, the click-clack of heels echoing across the burnished parquet, or presiding over feasts at the baronial dining table.
    — Donna Hardie-Scott, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Olive trees, desiccated from the Xylella fastidiosa bacterial epidemic, are consumed by fire and slump to the ground in a burnished black heap.
    — Angelica Calabrese, Longreads, 7 July 2026
Definition of burnished
Verb
  • Star67, a private-dining concept, kept the crowd snacking on birthday cake bites and ice cream sundaes as the drinks flowed.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Material from both sides of this line flowed together to assemble the parent objects of Bennu, Ryugu and CI chondrites, with ice acting like glue to bond the fine dust particles together.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of flowed
Verb
  • Multiple fraternity members then entered the room, where one of the newcomers kissed her without her consent, and one of the first three men commanded her to take more ketamine and groped her, according to the complaint.
    — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Where a milk chocolate brown once kissed and colored her long, blended layers, a dark brown — almost black — shade now stood.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of kissed
Adjective
  • Widely recognized as London’s oldest luxury hotel, updates like glossy marble bathrooms, vibrant textiles, and mahogany walk-in closets have breathed new life into this historic stay.
    — Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The nails were painted a sharp, glossy red, while the same shade traced the inside of her eyes, with lashings of mascara that added to the dramatic effect.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of glossy
Verb
  • After the young widow stepped back behind the black curtains, where scoops of mint chocolate chip in disposable bamboo bowls drifted through a room of donors and White House staffers, the evening moved from celebration to wake.
    — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Now Alicia, a New York dame, drifted over to the orange jackets.
    — Anand Giridharadas, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of drifted
Verb
  • With his head shaved and his chest usually bared, Yousuke Yukimatsu melds body and machine to choreograph intensely physical sonic marathons.
    — Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Cook, when his head is not shaved as in his prison mugshot, has red hair.
    — Kate Payne, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of shaved
Adjective
  • Back in 2017, the family invested more than $100 million into the hotel in preparation of the 35th America’s Cup—an extensive multi-year renovation that shined up an already glistening property.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, everyone in the main room is dancing under a glistening disco ball to the syncopations of Riva, a three-piece comprised of a psychedelic saxophonist, drummer and keyboardist.
    — Mary Carreon, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of glistening
Verb
  • The pinkish squid glided two miles beneath the surface, its long, pale legs trailing from undulating fins, stunning scientists who know remarkably little about its diet, behavior or reproduction.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Merino glided away from challenges to keep Arsenal in control.
    — Thom Harris, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of glided

Browse Nearby Words

brush (aside or off)
brushed
brushed (aside or off)
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Cite this Entry

“Brushed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brushed. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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