thrashed; thrashing; thrashes
1
a
: to beat soundly with or as if with a stick or whip : flog
b
: to defeat decisively or severely
thrashed the visiting team
2
: to swing, beat, or strike in the manner of a rapidly moving flail
thrashing his arms
3
a
: to go over again and again
thrash the matter over inconclusively
b
: to hammer out : forge
thrash out a plan
4
: to separate the seeds of from the husks and straw by beating : thresh sense 1
1
: to move or stir about violently : toss about
thrash in bed with a fever
2
: to deal blows or strokes like one using a flail or whip
3
1
: an act of thrashing
2
: rock music (such as heavy metal or punk rock) that is extremely fast and loud
Synonyms
Examples of thrash in a Sentence
Verb
He thrashed me with his belt.
The team thrashed them last week.
Something was thrashing wildly in the water.
She thrashed around in her sleep.
Noun
The shark swam away with a thrash of its tail.
Recent Examples on the Web
Craig Caudill, Field & Stream, 30 Nov. 2023
The wolf jumped into the water of Hallow Bay and grabbing the harbor seal’s tail, thrashing it around.
—Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 2 Nov. 2023
The Wildcats average start on their first three drives was on the visitors’ 33-yard line, resulting in quick and devastating scores as El Camino thrashed Mt. Carmel, 69-6.
—Tim Meehan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2023
Bear-hugging a thrashing catfish is a good way to lose your suit, so guys should plan to knot the waist strings on their trunks and gals should opt for a one-piece or more athletic top.
Goggles.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 15 Nov. 2023
The goal isn’t to thrash against disconnection—or to panic, the old human instinct toward mastery and subjugation—but to somehow integrate it.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2023
But despite thrashing rains, boulders tumbling onto highways, washed out roads, floating cars, toppled trees and even a 5.1 earthquake, there were no significant roadway disasters caused by the storm.
—Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2023
Swift relief for a dying industry The concert film could help revive the movie-going experience at a crucial time for the industry as the rise of at-home streaming has thrashed ticket sales and called into question the viability of the movie theater format in the digital age.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2023
In the end, the chaos on Capitol Hill seems like the logical next step for a Republican Party that has been thrashing against itself for much of the last decade, with Trump often at the center of the action.
—Rick Klein, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2023
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2023
The Coachella site is a familiar one for Metallica, which hosted its own Big 4 festival there in 2011, alongside other originators of thrash metal: Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax.
—Steve Appleford, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2023
The band’s sole album was an underrated gem of bombastic thrash metal, produced by rock legend Eddie Kramer, best known for his work with another power trio, the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
—Al Shipley, Spin, 28 Sep. 2023
The morning sky like blue lacquer on porcelain, the breeze off the Lac, and mere feet away, the thrash of dozens of racers tearing through the water.
—Devin Gordon, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2022
The 24-song, three-plus-hour marathon set came five days after the release of the Australian sextet’s new thrash metal/prog extravaganza, PetroDragonic Apocalypse or Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 22 June 2023
Gale was the thrash metal band’s 34-year-old vocalist.
—Dallasnews.com Staff, Dallas News, 15 June 2023
In the clip, the otter bites, thrashes, and claws at an occupied surfboard while the surfer tries to paddle away with the board.
—Michael Lee Simpson, Peoplemag, 12 July 2023
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard fans crossing their fingers for a nearly 10-minute thrash metal song about a murderous giant lizard and featuring Latin chanting are in luck.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 6 June 2023
See More
Verb
Tail Thrashing: An agitated or threatened alligator might thrash its tail in the water, producing splashes.
—Craig Caudill, Field & Stream, 30 Nov. 2023
The wolf jumped into the water of Hallow Bay and grabbing the harbor seal’s tail, thrashing it around.
—Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 2 Nov. 2023
The Wildcats average start on their first three drives was on the visitors’ 33-yard line, resulting in quick and devastating scores as El Camino thrashed Mt. Carmel, 69-6.
—Tim Meehan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2023
Bear-hugging a thrashing catfish is a good way to lose your suit, so guys should plan to knot the waist strings on their trunks and gals should opt for a one-piece or more athletic top.
Goggles.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 15 Nov. 2023
The goal isn’t to thrash against disconnection—or to panic, the old human instinct toward mastery and subjugation—but to somehow integrate it.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2023
But despite thrashing rains, boulders tumbling onto highways, washed out roads, floating cars, toppled trees and even a 5.1 earthquake, there were no significant roadway disasters caused by the storm.
—Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2023
Swift relief for a dying industry The concert film could help revive the movie-going experience at a crucial time for the industry as the rise of at-home streaming has thrashed ticket sales and called into question the viability of the movie theater format in the digital age.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2023
In the end, the chaos on Capitol Hill seems like the logical next step for a Republican Party that has been thrashing against itself for much of the last decade, with Trump often at the center of the action.
—Rick Klein, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2023
Noun
Fans of thrash metal, folk rock, punk, and hill country blues will be able to find common ground this month in helping to fund support for people with cancer.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2023
The Coachella site is a familiar one for Metallica, which hosted its own Big 4 festival there in 2011, alongside other originators of thrash metal: Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax.
—Steve Appleford, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2023
The band’s sole album was an underrated gem of bombastic thrash metal, produced by rock legend Eddie Kramer, best known for his work with another power trio, the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
—Al Shipley, Spin, 28 Sep. 2023
The morning sky like blue lacquer on porcelain, the breeze off the Lac, and mere feet away, the thrash of dozens of racers tearing through the water.
—Devin Gordon, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2022
The 24-song, three-plus-hour marathon set came five days after the release of the Australian sextet’s new thrash metal/prog extravaganza, PetroDragonic Apocalypse or Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 22 June 2023
Gale was the thrash metal band’s 34-year-old vocalist.
—Dallasnews.com Staff, Dallas News, 15 June 2023
In the clip, the otter bites, thrashes, and claws at an occupied surfboard while the surfer tries to paddle away with the board.
—Michael Lee Simpson, Peoplemag, 12 July 2023
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard fans crossing their fingers for a nearly 10-minute thrash metal song about a murderous giant lizard and featuring Latin chanting are in luck.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 6 June 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thrash.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
alteration of thresh
First Known Use
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3
Noun
1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of thrash was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing thrash
Dictionary Entries Near thrash
Cite this Entry
“Thrash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrash. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
thrash
verbˈthrash
1
2
a
: to strike forcefully especially with a long instrument (as a whip) : flog
b
: to defeat decisively or severely
thrashed the visiting team
3
: to move or stir about violently
something was thrashing wildly in the water
4
: to go over again and again
thrash the matter over
thrash out a plan
More from Merriam-Webster on thrash
Nglish: Translation of thrash for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of thrash for Arabic Speakers
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