brand

1 of 2

noun

ˈbrand 

1

a

: a charred piece of wood

b

: firebrand sense 1

c

: something (such as lightning) that resembles a firebrand

2

: sword

3

a(1)

: a mark made by burning with a hot iron to attest manufacture or quality or to designate ownership

(2)

: a printed mark made for similar purposes : trademark

b(1)

: a mark put on criminals with a hot iron

(2)

: a mark of disgrace : stigma

the brand of poverty

4

a

: a class of goods identified by name as the product of a single firm or manufacturer : make

b

: a characteristic or distinctive kind

a lively brand of theater

c

: brand name sense 2

d

: a public image, reputation, or identity conceived of as something to be marketed or promoted

Future political offices or appointments appear out of the question now, so he is focusing on rebuilding his brand in Hollywood …

—Elizabeth McNeil et al.

The comedian Dane Cook apparently believes he is building his brand by pumping out a steady stream of comments on Twitter …

—Daniel Lyons

5

: a tool used to produce a brand

brand

2 of 2

verb

branded; branding; brands

transitive verb

1

: to mark with a brand

2

: to mark with disapproval : stigmatize

he was branded a coward

3

: to impress indelibly

brand the lesson on his mind

brander noun

Synonyms

Noun

• trademark
• label

Verb

• etch
• engrave
• imprint

Examples of brand in a Sentence

Noun

What brand are those jeans you are wearing?

The store sells a variety of shoe brands.

I don't like his brand of humor.

a lively brand of theater

Verb

They no longer brand their cattle.

The exact words my father spoke on my graduation day are branded in my memory.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The brand blessed us by transforming the scent of their moisturizer into a line of body mists, which includes the Crush Cheirosa '62 Bum Bum Hair & Body Fragrance Mist. —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 15 July 2025

According to Sarah Chung Park, founder and CEO of Landing International, a business platform bringing K-beauty brands to the US, K-beauty hair formulas focus on both nourishing the scalp’s overall health while also rebuilding protein in strands to treat damage from the inside out. —Audrey Noble, Glamour, 15 July 2025

Verb

Products like candles, clothing, and bath salts are beautifully branded under the Gifted label—offering both brand consistency and confidentiality for those who may not be ready to put their faces online. —Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025

During the Cold War, this was viewed as a threat to U.S. interests, and followers were branded as communists. —Emi Eleode, Time, 14 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, torch, sword, from Old English; akin to Old English bærnan to burn

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing brand

• brand name
• brand-new
• co-brand
• leading brand
• name brand
• off-brand
• on brand
• own-brand
• store brand

Rhymes for brand

• band
• banned
• bland
• canned
• fanned
• gland
• lande
• mande
• manned
• panned
• planned
• sande

Kids Definition

brand

1 of 2 noun

ˈbrand 

1

: a burnt or burning piece of wood

2

a

: a mark made by burning (as on cattle) to show ownership, maker, or quality

b

: a printed mark made for similar purposes : trademark

3

a

: a mark once put on criminals with a hot iron

b

: a mark of disgrace : stigma

4

a

: a class of goods identified as the product of a single maker

b

: a particular kind : variety

brand

2 of 2 verb

1

: to mark with or as if with a brand

2

: to describe or identify with a word that expresses disapproval

was branded a coward