thrashing

noun

thrash·​ing ˈthra-shiŋ How to pronounce thrashing (audio)
plural thrashings
1
: a severe beating or flogging
If a poacher was taken he was given a thrashing as well as being prosecuted with its consequent jail sentence.W. Mostyn Thomas
"They called her a little blue ragamuffin, father," said Harry, who ran in looking very angry. "But I have given it to them. They won't insult my sister again. I have given them a thrashing they will remember."Anna Sewell
2
: a dominating defeat of an opponent
… after going 6-5 on a tough road trip that concluded with 9-2 and 12-4 thrashings of the Giants last weekend, they were 57-41 …Phil Taylor

Examples of thrashing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The tactical tweak resulted in Liverpool’s winning a game by more than two goals for the first time since the 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in April which sealed the Premier League title. James Pearce, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025 How to Watch Memphis vs UAB Memphis returns from a bye following a 45-7 thrashing of Tulsa that improved the Tigers to 2-0 in The American. Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025 The squeals, heavy breathing, and tail thrashing of the headline attraction, the ominous pitter-patter of a chestburster scuttling across the floor, and the characteristic crunch of a chestburster smashing through an unfortunate ribcage are all integral to the extra-terrestrial horror. Richard Edwards, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025 The latest thrashing of an opponent came Saturday evening, when the Broncos (3-1) scored a 47-14 victory over App State (2-2). Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for thrashing

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thrashing was in 1799

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thrashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrashing. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on thrashing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!