flail

noun

\ ˈflāl

Definition of flail

(Entry 1 of 2)

: 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

verb

flailed; flailing; flails

Definition of flail (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : 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 a club 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 More Example Sentences Learn More About flail

Keep scrolling for more

Synonyms for flail

Synonyms: Verb

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: Noun As pledges to improve policing flail, police continue to kill people, and especially Black people, every day. — Time, 13 May 2021 In the video, cats stay in the upside-down position and flail, and even pigeons can’t decide which way is up or down. — Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 24 Aug. 2020 Fans no longer could complain about watching an overmatched pitcher flail at the plate. — Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2020 Who could resist watching Dash flail about in a tornado, and then promptly stop and let out a very earnest cat meow? — USA TODAY, 27 Mar. 2020 Super-deep repertoire of falls and flails, plus a classic crybaby Flop Face. — Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 18 Dec. 2019 No errors, no flails on hanging curveballs, no baserunning mistakes. — Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 29 Oct. 2019 Over in East Rutherford, the Giants are now considering a hard right turn to rookie quarterback Daniel Jones after watching Eli Manning flail in the pocket ineffectively in two straight losses. — Conor Orr, SI.com, 16 Sep. 2019 The borderlands have no courts and tribal police flail in the face of paperwork and investigations. — The Economist, 20 July 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb And yet, no matter how much her colleagues flail and scream, determined to leap into the abyss, Cheney insists on warning them about the calamity awaiting. — Washington Post, 11 May 2021 The strut became more pronounced by the end of the sixth, after getting Josh Fuentes to flail at a slider for his eighth strikeout. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2021 That means pitchers who usually flail away will try to make contact after a year layoff. — Ben Walker, Star Tribune, 31 Mar. 2021 The call seemed dubious after the Nets’ James Harden appeared to hook his arm underneath Leonard’s, then flail backward as Leonard gathered for a shot. — Andrew Greif, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2021 Practicing flight moves, the owlets would leap and flail, tumbling to lower branches, sometimes to the ground. — Val Cunningham Special To The Star Tribune, Star Tribune, 12 Jan. 2021 Do yourself a favor and take an hour to flail and dance around your house to any of her music while shrieking. — Anne Nickoloff, cleveland, 21 Apr. 2020 Malone has also designed a pair of Jibbitz three-packs, which include images inspired by his hammer and flail face tats, as well as one featuring a rubber duck, a colorful heart and, of course, his favorite snack, grapes. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 8 Dec. 2020 Apparently, a landed carp is comfortable and less prone to flail when bagged and tied to the dock. — Kirk Deeter, Field & Stream, 5 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'flail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.