as in whipping
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
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flagellating
Verb
-
By whipping or rapidly spinning fresh citrus juice, bartenders introduce air into the liquid, creating a thicker texture without adding additional ingredients.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
15 Feb. 2026 -
Scheffler began the final day eight shots behind and was 7 under through seven holes before the wind began whipping.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For more wicker patio set deals hiding in plain sight, check out our favorites below from Walmart, West Elm, and beyond—and get ready for many afternoons spent enjoying your new outdoor oasis.—
Melanie Fincher,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Typically police will train on how to work their way through a building where a shooter could be hiding behind various doors or in rooms or stairways.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Throughout the winter and early spring, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was slashing the federal workforce, in part, by offering buyouts to career officials.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
17 Feb. 2026
-
New York — Advances in AI are unlikely to push down interest rates in the short term, a key Federal Reserve official said Tuesday — a stark contrast to Fed Chair nominee Kevin Warsh’s plan for slashing borrowing costs.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After being outplayed by the home side for nearly all of the first half, Leeds took only four minutes of the second period to take the lead, Lukas Nmecha lashing home brilliantly from the edge of the penalty area.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The carnivorous mammal's teeth-baring image suggests a wilderness pushed to the margins and lashing out.—
Felicia Feaster,
AJC.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Alijah Arenas switched between his forehand shot and backhand, flicking the plastic ball over the net to his opponent, former NBA star Brandon Jennings.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
20 Jan. 2026
-
While the horses were flicking sand like fireworks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The hanging quickly devolves into an all-out bacchanal, as onlookers drink, dance and kiss in the square surrounding the flailing corpse.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Their premise is that international-relations scholars are flailing in part because they’re trained to think of their field, as its name implies, as affairs between and among states.—
Andreas Kluth,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Others have called out the boring marketing campaign based around flogging variants in order for Swift to finally beat the record for the biggest opening sales week for a female artist in history (currently held by Adele, which she is likely projected to break).—
Bianca Davino,
Refinery29,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Even in the trailer, scenes of slapping dough, Robbie and Elordi kissing in the rain and Elordi licking a wall were telltale signs that this would be a heightened version of the actual romance depicted in the book.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Sometimes the figure tries and fails to stand up, slapping itself with floppy, almost boneless limbs.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Flagellating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flagellating. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
