as in to whip
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
some medieval monks believed it was necessary to flagellate themselves in order to keep their desires in check
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Recent Examples of flagellate
Stephens would do well to stop flagellating himself and the Never Trumpers and instead join democracy advocates in defending the rule of law in a dangerous new world.
—
Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2025
Pop stars being badasses, as ever, but expressing doubt, and doing it without the flagellating self-destruction that might have come with an early iteration.
—Susannah Felts, Longreads, 27 Apr. 2023
For Logan, none of these self-flagellating exercises mattered.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2023
One Peruvian candidate has taken time to talk about his habit of wearing a wire chain, known as a cilice, every day to flagellate himself.
—Star Tribune, 8 Apr. 2021
See All Example Sentences for flagellate
Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2025
Pop stars being badasses, as ever, but expressing doubt, and doing it without the flagellating self-destruction that might have come with an early iteration.
—Susannah Felts, Longreads, 27 Apr. 2023
For Logan, none of these self-flagellating exercises mattered.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2023
One Peruvian candidate has taken time to talk about his habit of wearing a wire chain, known as a cilice, every day to flagellate himself.
—Star Tribune, 8 Apr. 2021
See All Example Sentences for flagellate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flagellate
Verb
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The texture is thick and whipped, easy to glide on post-shower, and will help keep skin moisturized for hours.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
6 Mar. 2026
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Fresh fruit is tossed with a decadent mixture of cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and whipped topping that is ready in just 10 minutes.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Over the past year, assaults against ICE personnel have risen 8,000%, according to the DHS, and federal police have opted to hide their faces and identities while working in public.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Mar. 2026
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An East Price Hill man is accused of hiding in wait before fatally shooting a woman at an Avondale apartment building, according to Cincinnati police.—
Quinlan Bentley,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Lilly and its chief rival, Novo Nordisk, have moved to slash the cash prices of their popular obesity injections for those who want to pay entirely out-of-pocket.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
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Under Trump, those gains have been slashed.—
Rachana Pradhan,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Speccie’s star columnist is the rudest man in Christendom, the Godzilla of contumely, an all-time non-sufferer of fools who horsewhips his targets the way Hunter S. Thompson and Christopher Hitchens once did.—
Kyle Smith,
National Review,
23 Apr. 2020
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In reality, Watson wasn’t a bar fighter or famous for horsewhipping cowboys.—
Eliza McGraw,
Smithsonian,
12 Mar. 2018
Verb
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And yet, Trump has also managed to avoid complex questions about those issues — the most pressing before his administration — and despite Democrats and some of his own supporters lashing out over them.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Noem and her chief adviser Corey Lewandowski -- who is reportedly also departing DHS -- both had a knack for lashing out, yelling and berating staff that crossed them, according to sources.—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The texture play looks cool and intentional, like an all-black outfit that layers leather with silk.—
Samantha Brash,
InStyle,
8 Feb. 2026
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All thoughtfully designed with custom touches— from minibars designed as leather campaign chests to leather writing tables accentuating the space.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One executive who knows Ellison told me they were reminded of a moment from the Succession finale, when Kendall is flailing to secure his future at the helm of the family media empire.—
Reeves Wiedeman,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
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Drawing on new interviews with Bowie’s collaborators and associates, as well as archival material, Larman offers a touching, detailed portrait of a gifted artist losing his bearings, flailing about, and re-inventing himself.—
George Kalogerakis,
Air Mail,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The media flagged and flogged it for AI incompetence.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
25 Jan. 2026
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Examples include a husband having the legal right to restrict his wife’s travel and employment, unequal divorce rights and punishment for appearing in public without a hijab ranging from fines to prison time to flogging.—
Ellie Austin,
Fortune,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flagellate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flagellate. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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