Synonyms of flagellate

flagellate

verb

ˈfla-jə-ˌlāt 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• whip
• hide
• slash
• horsewhip
• lash
• leather
• flail
• flog
• spank
• flick
• switch
• tan
• scourge
• thrash
• whale
• slap
• lick
• cut
• birch
• cowhide
• hit
• knock
• rawhide
• punch
• bat
• smack
• strap
• maul
• bang
• beat
• clip
• whack
• cane
• swipe
• quirt
• clap
• pound
• club
• cudgel
• knout
• swat
• pelt
• slug
• thump
• box
• paddle
• smite
• pummel
• sock
• clobber
• bludgeon
• bop
• lather
• touch up
• pistol-whip
• bash
• bung
• lambast
• mangle
• cuff
• belt
• crack
• buffet
• paste
• rough
• lambaste
• slate
• clout
• blackjack
• lace
• drub
• batter
• hammer
• thwack
• whup
• lam
• work over
• bust
• belabor
• pommel
• slog
• fib
• thresh
• wallop
• whop
• fustigate
• baste
• whap
• tromp

Examples of flagellate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

All are said to have had affairs with Lucian Freud (was there anyone who didn’t?), three with Arthur Koestler and one with Egypt’s King Farouk (who liked to flagellate her on the steps of the royal palace with his dressing-gown cord). —Moira Hodgson, WSJ, 31 Jan. 2020

Muslims were mobilizing; once, Mr. Rizvi visited during Muharram, an annual ritual of mourning, and found her surrounded by pilgrims, flagellating themselves with chains to which razor blades had been attached. —Ellen Barry, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2019

Tech companies have self-flagellated a lot on these issues. —Frank Bajak, SFChronicle.com, 14 Oct. 2019