flagellating

verb

present participle of flagellate
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

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of flagellating Some go further, flagellating themselves or using a sword to strike their forehead to draw blood. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2026 His only way of finding any kind of life for himself is to embrace evil, to stop running away from it, to try to stop morally flagellating himself. — Charlotte Observer, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flagellating
  1. whipping
  2. hiding
  3. slashing
  4. lashing
  5. flicking
  6. flailing
  7. flogging
  8. slapping
Verb
  • Harrison Ford is whipping back into blockbuster shape, as the 84-year-old is set to return as iconic adventurer Indiana Jones in a new Disney project.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Aug. 2026
  • He’s spent the last week whipping senators to support it and even enlisted former Alabama football coach Nick Saban to dial up undecided lawmakers, according to people familiar with the matter.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of whipping
Verb
  • Rather than hiding from the toughest challenges, Hill confronted them head-on despite knowingly taking on some short-term pain and cost.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • With that $140, York bought himself a lifetime of punchlines at his expense and, presumably, years of hiding from the spotlight.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • Beijing has moved to insulate itself economically, slashing crude imports nearly 50% since the war started, according to The Wall Street Journal, and bolstering domestic energy.
    — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • But there’s no sign Washington is serious about slashing the budget or raising taxes.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of slashing
Verb
  • Lala weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm Sunday after lashing the state without making landfall.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The eyewall was forecast to move over or near the island’s southern end by the evening, lashing its worst winds at volcanic slopes thousands of feet above sea level.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of lashing
Verb
  • Within a few minutes, Hutchinson has his mobile out, happily flicking through the screensavers.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • His violent men — Scott’s sinister dad and Melton’s sad one — light cigarettes by flicking matches on their ears and teeth.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of flicking
Verb
  • Benzina's spot kick was awarded after a VAR check penalized Algeria’s Lana Smits for catching Sakina Ouzraoui in the face with a flailing arm.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • She was then treated and cleared for travel, and her sling was padded with foam to keep her from flailing her tail.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of flailing
Verb
  • So, that is one gig at a completely unnecessary addition to the sports calendar, created by corporate interests for the sole intention of flogging products to people who do not really like sport… and another at the Enhanced Games.
    — Matt Slater, New York Times, 23 May 2026
  • In an even more meta moment, Amazon interrupted its own Upfront with actual ads with Summer House star Paige DeSorbo flogging certain items to an increasingly frustrated audience.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 11 May 2026
Definition of flogging
Verb
  • Lionel Messi was fined by MLS for lightly slapping Union attacker Quinn Sullivan.
    — Matt Piper, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Universities are not just slapping corporate logos on uniforms and facilities but building entertainment districts that can be lucrative far beyond game days.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of slapping

Browse Nearby Words

flagellates
flagellating
flagged
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Cite this Entry

“Flagellating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flagellating. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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