flog

verb

ˈfläg

flogged; flogging

Synonyms of flog next

transitive verb

: to beat with or as if with a rod or whip

The sailors were flogged for attempting a mutiny.

: to criticize harshly

He was flogged in the press for failing to take action.

: to force or urge into action : drive

chiefly British : to sell (something, such as stolen goods) illegally

flogged their employers' petrol to ordinary motorists—

Economist

: sell sense 7

traveled by horse, flogging encyclopedias—

Robert Darnton

flogging wares at the local discount outlet—

Ronald Henkoff

: to promote aggressively : plug

flying around the world flogging your movies—

Peter Bogdanovich

British : steal sense 1

intransitive verb

: flap, flutter

sails flogging

British : to move along with difficulty : slog

flogger noun

Examples of flog in a Sentence

The sailors were flogged for attempting a mutiny. a graphic depiction of a sailor being flogged by the captain for disobeying orders

Recent Examples on the Web Terry’s adventures include flogging a married surgeon, seducing a Dubonnet-drinking widow and taking B.D.S.M. scenes with a suicidal welfare worker close to the point of no return. —

June Thomas, New York Times, 16 June 2023 Lines of vendors are here from dusk until dawn, eagerly flogging everything from fresh fruit to fish and fabrics. —

Story, CNN, 23 Apr. 2023 The novel is an exposé of the Navy’s disciplinary practices and use of flogging. —

Amy Sutherland, BostonGlobe.com, 11 May 2023 Ryder’s trial both by media and in the court of law serve as a microcosm of our culture at large in that Ryder was incessantly flogged by tabloids for a fairly innocuous crime, but still ultimately able to allude serious charges and penalties in large part due to her wealth and celebrity. —

Colin Scanlon, Redbook, 8 May 2023 Nothing like a good social media beef to flog the brand. —

Corey Kilgannon Dar Yaskil, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2023 But also at the same time, flogging yourself a bit. —

Charlie H. Stern, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2023 Video from the protests shows police aggressively flogging protesters with nightsticks. —

Phil McCausland, NBC News, 1 May 2023 In January, a video shot in Kandahar's football stadium that showed men and women being publicly flogged in front of thousands of onlookers caused shockwaves when it was published online. —

Zahid Mahmood, CNN, 19 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flog.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.