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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flail
Caroline Framke, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
Colorado spent six innings flailing away against Skenes before Mickey Moniak's sinking line-drive single to left-center with one out in the seventh.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
Some fans said the actor instead resembled an early-PlayStation-era cutscene character who robotically flails his limbs upon impact.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
Colorado spent six innings flailing away against Skenes before Mickey Moniak's sinking line-drive single to left-center with one out in the seventh.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flail
Verb
On The Comeback, the flailing sitcom actress Valerie Cherish (played by Lisa Kudrow) is accustomed to sacrificing her dignity for the spotlight.
—Caroline Framke, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
Colorado spent six innings flailing away against Skenes before Mickey Moniak's sinking line-drive single to left-center with one out in the seventh.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
Some fans said the actor instead resembled an early-PlayStation-era cutscene character who robotically flails his limbs upon impact.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
Colorado spent six innings flailing away against Skenes before Mickey Moniak's sinking line-drive single to left-center with one out in the seventh.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flail
Verb
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The two were often seen with what appeared to be unwashed, exposed roots that fluttered into beach waves down their backs.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
12 June 2026
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Roswell visitors spent the weekend surrounded by fluttering wings, native plants, and hands-on learning as the Chattahoochee Nature Center kicked off its annual Flying Colors Butterfly Festival.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
Verb
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But listening to Magazine—their new 10-track, 11-minute album—that artful density becomes singular, swaying as much as whipping between its frantic ideas.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
12 June 2026
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At one point, about a dozen people, most wearing Knicks jerseys, jumped on top of a cab stuck in traffic and stomped on and busted the front windshield, while several revelers took turns using belts to whip the hood of the taxi, according to bystander video.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Noun
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For decades, the Fifth Fleet has been the U.S.’s principle bludgeon to ensure freedom of navigation through the strait.—
Brian Bennett,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
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Iran practices honest bludgeon work.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As with other members of the poplar family such as quaking aspen, the part of the tree that attaches the leaf to the branch is several inches long, causing leaves to flap rapidly from side to side when the wind blows.—
Sheryl DeVore,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026
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When a hummingbird hovers, their wings can flap up to 70 times per second, according to the Audubon Society!—
Ray Petelin,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Verb
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This automatically measures the distance between the edges of the folding panels, uses sensors to detect offsets and recalibrates the brightness of adjacent LEDs to hide the tiny slot.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 June 2026
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Achieving it in reality would be brutally hard because the target moves, hides, jams, uses decoys, and fights back.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
Noun
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But his parents hope that the teen, who uses a wheelchair or cane for mobility, will continue to gain independence.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
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In its most scenic moments, the train wanders along the island’s coastline and through rainforest, and sugar cane fields.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Deleon had at least seven prior arrests, including a 2022 case in which he was accused of slashing a man in the neck.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
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Residents have offered several suggestions for cuts, including reducing pensions, slashing commissioners' salaries in half, cutting the city manager's salary, eliminating staff redundancy, getting rid of take-home cars, and pausing park upgrades without public input.—
Ted Scouten,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Judges, attorneys, guardians and other court professionals have repeatedly used custody as a cudgel, according to some family court attorneys and advocates, punishing parents for their conduct by limiting their access to their children.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
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Linda wields her absolute power over Bradley like a cudgel, exploiting his helplessness to emotionally abuse and manipulate him.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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