brandishes
Swings with menace
To brandish something is to wave or flourish it, typically a weapon, in a threatening or excited manner.
The gesture combines display with implied menace: He brandished a knife at the security guard.
Someone might brandish a sword dramatically or brandish credentials to assert authority.
The word suggests deliberate showiness—you don't just hold something, you make sure others see it.
Hilted fighting blade
Oscillating motion through medium
- sweepBrush clean with broom
- twirlRotate rapidly, often playfully
- swingSuspended recreational seat
- gestureCommunicative body movement
arc · swoop · whirl · flair · panache · style · grace · spin
Visually striking event
- theatricsExaggerated dramatic behavior
- performanceCarrying out a task
- dramaticsTheatrical art or behavior
- swaggerConfident, boastful manner
bravado · display · presentation · pageantry · flamboyance · exhibitionism · confidence · charisma
sword
Hilted fighting blade
blade · fist · machete · pistol · gun · club · spear · axe · stick · cutlass
wave
Oscillating motion through medium
gesture · arc · swoop · whirl · flair · panache · style · grace · spin · display
spectacle
Visually striking event
- theatricsExaggerated dramatic behavior
- performanceCarrying out a task
- dramaticsTheatrical art or behavior
swagger · bravado · display · presentation · pageantry · flamboyance · exhibitionism · confidence · charisma · dazzle