FLANKING Synonyms: 152 Similar and Opposite Words

flanking 1 of 3

adjective

as in adjacent

having a border in common flanking farms that share the same water source

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flanking

2 of 3

noun

as in envelopment

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

flanking

3 of 3

verb

present participle of flank

as in adjoining

to be adjacent to the guards flank the center on a football team's offensive line

Synonyms & Similar 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 flanking

Noun

What initially reads as near abstraction—a blue oval, a red trapezoid, yellow flanking fields—reveals itself as an act of erasure. — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026 For its fall 2026 images and flanking videos, the company tapped Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins to direct a young cast of international actors including Hunter Schafer, Troye Sivan, Chen Haoyu and Kelvin Harrison Jr. — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 21 July 2026 But Earth appears to have been struck by a far flanking edge of the storm, meaning most of the magnetic cloud likely missed our planet, according to an update from the center. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2025 So at this time our forecast still holds but, as mentioned, with a low level of confidence for a grazing or flanking edge effect from the CME passages. — Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

Verb

Rooted in casual elegance, the spring collection introduced a refreshing palette of aquamarine blue, sage green and pink flanking the brand’s distinctive ivories, ecrus and beiges. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026 Much of the stone used to construct Hadrian’s Wall and its forts and milecastles was recycled over the centuries, but the stone footings largely remain, as do the flanking ditches. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 21 Sep. 2026 Stick them among potted plants flanking an entryway for a welcoming ambiance, or arrange them in tall black vases among mini pumpkins on a dining table or entryway console. — Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2026 Military officers read victims’ names as screens flanking them displayed their photos. — Jeremy Redmon, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026 Two identical theaters flanking the lobby are galleries in their own right. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 The lush valleys flanking the Teahupo’o coastline are full of drama, with towering, jagged peaks and vertiginous ridges—many far off the grid and only accessible via boat. — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026 The front end is particularly imposing, with twin LED headlights flanking a broad grille and a substantial-looking skid plate beneath the bumper. — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 Frame Your Entry A loose hedge and pair of taller shrubs flanking the front door add a layer to this Dallas, Texas, home's curb appeal without detracting from the traditional blue-and-white facade or blocking the view. — Mary Alice Russell, Southern Living, 13 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flanking

Adjective

In the afternoons, the Pultizer living room adjacent to The Bar and SkyFire restaurant is a happening place.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Nashville is seeing plenty of posthumous Dolly activity at the moment, as her SongTeller Hotel and an adjacent museum have just opened in downtown Nashville.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of adjacent

Verb

Undeterred, the three friends bought the hotel and adjoining property for $3 million and have since spent over $10 million on renovations and redesign.

— Madeleine Kashkooli, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
The film could use a few more such colorful secondary strands adjoining the main conflict, though one subplot involving a maybe-romance between two jaded journalists assigned to the summit is oddly framed and abruptly dropped.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of adjoining

Adjective

The remains of medieval ruler Czar Samuel arrived in Bulgaria on Saturday, after decades of negotiations with neighboring Greece.

— COSTAS KANTOURIS, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
The vote prolongs the crisis and raises the chance of early elections at a time of regional security concerns, with the NATO member confronting a sharp increase in drone incursions linked to Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine.

— Stephen McGrath, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of neighboring

Noun

China-Japan relations have come under heavy strain since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament in November last year that Japan could get militarily involved in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

— Anniek Bao,Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
The Vietnam War, the invasion of Afghanistan and both wars in Iraq were all approved by Congress under the umbrella of an Authorization for the Use of Military Force.

— Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of invasion

Verb

But Goldschmidt, still looking for a championship, was one of three Yankees who were restricted to first base or DH this year, joining García and Ben Rice.

— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026
Students are gathering and blocking access near the School of Political Science, while other students are joining the high school student protest movement and the blockades at high schools in Paris, Ile-de-France, France, on October 7, 2026.

— Jenni Reid, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of joining

Noun

The vote prolongs the crisis and raises the chance of early elections at a time of regional security concerns, with the NATO member confronting a sharp increase in drone incursions linked to Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine.

— Stephen McGrath, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
The soldiers were among thousands sent by North Korea to help Russia repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk border region as part of expanding cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of incursion

Verb

The surrounding area has also become increasingly popular among billionaires, and in nearby Palm Beach, security has become part of the draw.

— Sydney Lake, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
The film follows a protagonist returning to his hometown for the first time in 28 years, drawn back by the mystery surrounding a young artistic prodigy.

— Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of surrounding

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

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Synonyms of flanking

adjective

noun

verb

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