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flail 1 of 2

verb

Definition of flailnext
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

flail

2 of 2

noun

as in bludgeon

Related Words

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 flail
Verb
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 Her arms and legs flailing, the infant falls silent, according to the arrest report. — Jane Park, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flail
  1. flutter
  2. whip
  3. bludgeon
  4. flap
  5. hide
  6. cane
  7. slash
  8. cudgel
Verb
  • The dress included a long train, which trailed the actress on the arrival carpet, and was further augmented by a shoulder ornament of fabric that transitioned from fluttering waves to delicate tassels.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Tribute upon floral tribute—their petals, leaves, and memorial cards fluttering in the gentle breeze.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of flutter
Verb
  • Green whips out his phone with the fluid motion of a digital native and snaps a photo.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Who wouldn’t like to whip out a formula that enabled you to judge this action as evil and the other as merely wrong?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of whip
Noun
  • Iran practices honest bludgeon work.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Definition of bludgeon
Verb
  • That means the bird species flapping around in backyards today are effectively the only surviving dinosaurs.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Real manta rays propel themselves by rhythmically flapping and undulating their enormous pectoral fins.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of flap
Verb
  • To her, there was nothing about the real Beck that seemed necessary to hide.
    — Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Angelenos also should ensure the lids of their trash bins are closed and block any places around their homes where fleas can enter or hide.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of hide
Noun
  • Godshalk encouraged us to try banding the river cane—a technique involving tying or wrapping groups of stems for decorative purposes.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 19 Sep. 2026
  • In additional footage, the user is seated on top of a seated walker with a cane in hand.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of cane
Verb
  • One dog, Bruce, whose neck was slashed by his owner, spent seven months at the shelter as investigators sought charges, trembling in his kennel and looking scared, according to visitors.
    — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The administration cut some 1,000 employees from CISA and slashed $10 million from two cybersecurity initiatives, including one dedicated to helping state and local election officials.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of slash
Noun
  • Just the mere threat of a False Claims Act investigation is a powerful cudgel, lawyers have said.
    — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • While lawmakers have mostly thrown their backing behind the bill, some are wary of granting the president even more leeway to impose import taxes as a foreign policy cudgel.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
Definition of cudgel

Browse Nearby Words

flag-wavers
flail
flailed
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Cite this Entry

“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flail

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flail

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