flog

verb

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\ ˈfläg

flogged; flogging

Definition of flog

transitive verb

1a : to beat with or as if with a rod or whip The sailors were flogged for attempting a mutiny.

b : to criticize harshly He was flogged in the press for failing to take action.

2 : to force or urge into action : drive

3a chiefly British : to sell (something, such as stolen goods) illegally flogged their employers' petrol to ordinary motorists — Economist

b : sell sense 7 traveled by horse, flogging encyclopedias— Robert Darnton flogging wares at the local discount outlet— Ronald Henkoff

c : to promote aggressively : plug flying around the world flogging your movies— Peter Bogdanovich

4 British : steal sense 1

intransitive verb

1 : flap, flutter sails flogging

2 British : to move along with difficulty : slog

Other Words from flog Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About flog

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 The idea is not to flog yourself for mistakes but to acknowledge them with future improvements in mind. — New York Times, 28 Dec. 2021 Not to mention that the reconciliation process frequently results in the theatrics of the minority party using the Byrd rule to publicly flog the majority party’s policies. — Marie Sapirie, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2021 Is there any real difference between such magical thinking and the superstitions that led medieval peasants to flog themselves? — Niall Ferguson Bloomberg Opinion, Star Tribune, 31 July 2021 Republicans used Lordstown to flog a Rust Belt revival. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, 14 June 2021 Selling vehicles directly forges a bond with buyers that may help flog services in the future. — The Economist, 11 Apr. 2021 Garuda is not the only Asian airline to flog its food to the land-lubbing public. — The Economist, 29 Aug. 2020 And right on time the opponents of fossil fuels are flogging a sloppy study that ties pollutants to coronavirus deaths. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, 4 May 2020 Democrats, seeking more than $500 billion to cover costs of police, fire and other front-line workers, have flogged McConnell for his opposition and his suggestion that states could instead take a bankruptcy option out. — Chronicle Staff, SFChronicle.com, 1 May 2020

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