flail

1 of 2

noun

ˈflāl 

: a hand threshing implement consisting of a wooden handle at the end of which a stouter and shorter stick is so hung as to swing freely

flail

2 of 2

verb

flailed; flailing; flails

transitive verb

1

a

: to strike with or as if with a flail

The bird's wings flailed the water.

b

: to move, swing, or beat as if wielding a flail

flailing their arms to drive away the insects

2

: to thresh (grain) with a flail

intransitive verb

: to move, swing, or beat like a flail

arms flailing in the water

Synonyms of flail

Verb

• flutter
• flap

Examples of flail in a Sentence

Verb

They were flailing their arms to drive away the insects.

The wounded animal lay on the ground, flailing helplessly.

He was wildly flailing about on the dance floor.

The bird's wings flailed the water.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The Braves were a ratings hit, and when the team flailed and went up for sale, Turner’s company became its owner in 1976. —Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026

The Wild turned a corner scrum on the Avs’ side of the ice into a loose puck in front of Wedgie’s crease, and Minnesota’s Marcus Johansson slipped it past the Avs’ flailing netminder to trim the deficit to 3-1. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 May 2026

While fans had long been advocating for Bravo to recruit Hubbard to save a flailing RHONY, the network instead is launching a Valley-esque spinoff led by Hubbard, Kyle Cook, and Amanda Batula called In the City. —Tom Smyth, Vulture, 4 May 2026

Sensing hesitance as well as incompetence, coaches and players alike tried to sway the flailing fill-ins at every turn. —Michael Silver, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English fleil, flail, partly from Old English *flegel (whence Old English fligel), from Late Latin flagellum flail, from Latin, whip & partly from Anglo-French flael, from Late Latin flagellum — more at flagellate

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for flail

• ail
• ale
• bail
• baile
• dail
• fail
• frail
• gael
• gail
• grail
• hail
• jail

Kids Definition

flail

1 of 2 noun

ˈflā(ə)l 

: a tool for threshing grain by hand

flail

2 of 2 verb

1

: to strike with or as if with a flail

2

: to move or wave about as if swinging a flail

flailed their arms

Medical Definition

flail

adjective

ˈflā(ə)l 

: exhibiting abnormal mobility and loss of response to normal controls

—used of body parts damaged by paralysis, injury, or surgery

flail joint