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
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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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flail
Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2026
Once released, the robot’s shot is fate, untouched by the vigorous, broom-flailing choreography that so often determines whether a stone bites the button or drifts wide.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
But watching big-league batters flail at his pitches makes keeping expectations low difficult.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for flail
Verb
His left leg flailed a bit in the air.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2026
Once released, the robot’s shot is fate, untouched by the vigorous, broom-flailing choreography that so often determines whether a stone bites the button or drifts wide.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
But watching big-league batters flail at his pitches makes keeping expectations low difficult.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for flail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flail
Verb
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Our bodies go about their business, but our deeper selves flutter, like those blind moths, into that dim waiting room and linger until some inscrutable opening is granted us to start living again.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
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Dollar bills flutter around his feet.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
5 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
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But Beshear hasn’t turned Trump-bashing into a 24/7 vocation, or a weight-lifting contest where the winner is the critic wielding the heaviest bludgeon.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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With the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other instruments of force as his bludgeon, Khamenei has chosen bloodshed over conciliation.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Large, thoughtful pockets stay accessible without flapping, and adjusters at the waist and cuffs help keep comfortability, even at mid-hike.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Mar. 2026
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Verona almost won it in stoppage time but Kieron Bowie couldn’t keep his attempt on target after Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret flapped aimlessly at a cross.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Feb. 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
Noun
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Officer Richard Perry walked into his arraignment Wednesday in a neck brace, using a cane.—
Kristina Rex,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
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Stars would debut daring fashion statements there, like Selma Blair, who showed off her jeweled cane after announcing her MS diagnosis.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
3 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
Noun
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As Californians look toward the 2026 governor’s race, candidates on both sides of the aisle are once again wielding crime as a political cudgel.—
Jose Bernal,
Oc Register,
24 Feb. 2026
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Running against McCombie from the right is 49-year-old retired police officer Victoria Onorato of Byron, who was not responsive to us and uses McCombie’s willingness to cross the aisle in Springfield as a cudgel.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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