English Reference

Word

flanked

US/ˈfɫæŋkt/

UK/flˈæŋkt/

Definition

adj. having something or someone on both sides of you.

adj. positioned with people or objects on either side. Often used in the passive voice or as a participial adjective to describe a central subject's surroundings.

Examples

“The president walked out flanked by his bodyguards.”

“The narrow mountain pass was flanked by steep cliffs that made the journey feel quite dangerous.”

“The grand entrance to the museum is flanked by two massive marble lions, which have stood as silent guardians of the collection for over a century.”

Examples

simple

“The president walked out flanked by his bodyguards.”

contextual

“The narrow mountain pass was flanked by steep cliffs that made the journey feel quite dangerous.”

complex

“The grand entrance to the museum is flanked by two massive marble lions, which have stood as silent guardians of the collection for over a century.”

Usage

Often follows a linking verb or appears in a passive construction with 'by'.

Real-World Examples

“A sunny stand of conifers flanked by large horsetails and cycads sprouting up in an understory dotted by ferns was often the shape of a dinosaur-tended habitat.”
Smithsonian Magazine · 18 Sept 2026
“Major population centers Philadelphia and Pittsburgh both are flanked by rivers.”
The Conversation · 10 Sept 2026

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference