Synonyms of flail

flail 1 of 2

verb

1

as in to flutter

to move or cause to move with a striking motion

started to flail his arms wildly when he spied a bat in the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flutter
• flap
• whip
• flop
• swing
• wave
• sway
• beat
• smack
• flick
• knock
• thump
• flit
• spank
• bang
• oscillate
• pound
• flicker
• batter
• fan
• pulse
• undulate
• throb
• buffet
• palpitate

2

as in to whip

to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible

gruesome evidence that the prisoner had been flailed

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

flail

2 of 2

noun

as in bludgeon

Related Words

• bludgeon
• cane
• cudgel
• baton
• nightstick
• bat
• billy
• bastinado
• staff
• billy club
• strap
• knout
• hickory
• rattan
• quirt
• bullwhip
• crop
• birch
• whip
• club
• blacksnake
• rawhide
• cowhide
• flogger
• lash
• cat-o'-nine-tails
• switch
• scourge

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of flail

Verb

Daniels confessed that the Hendrick teams underestimated their gap to the Toyotas, which won five of the first six races, then flailed by trying to do too much in their setups at early races, including Darlington and Phoenix. — ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026

Much of the time, you’re left to put up with untrained screen actors not knowing where to stand or look, or who don’t know not to block the camera’s view with flailing hands. — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026

As the economy flails and the war in Iraq wages on, 58% of people disapprove of the president, according to a New York Times aggregation of polls. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2026

Lonsway started his career on a high note by striking out the Diamondbacks’ Ildemaro Vargas, who flailed at strike three and lost his bat. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2026