Thesaurus results for FLAIL

flail 1 of 2

verb

Definition of flail

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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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

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

The inebriated father who sometimes leapt upon his sleeping children, fists flailing? — Jason Prokowiew, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 Another turn in a winning season that would have seemed improbable two months ago, when the Phillies flailed and manager Rob Thomson lost his job. — Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 27 June 2026 But the show still makes its point that the world of this play has narcissistic aggressors and flailing victims, and those who fall into both of those categories. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026 Their final side battle was ferocious and flailing. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for flail

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flail

Verb

This isn't the first time a butterfly motif has fluttered, so to speak, into Larsson's glam routine.

— Kara Nesvig, Allure, 6 July 2026
Just thinking of what his subjects, used to the continuity of antiquity, might have made of this makes the heart flutter.

— Chandrahas Choudhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 July 2026

Definition of flutter

Verb

Vanilla ice cream was layered with strawberry sauce, pound cake pieces, strawberry crunch, whipped topping and fresh strawberries, then served with cinnamon-sugar chips fried in-house.

— Tristan Graziano, Charlotte Observer, 10 July 2026
The next morning, the wind whipped the lake to a froth, making the crossing to the river’s outlet impossible.

— John Todd, Outdoor Life, 9 July 2026

Definition of whip

Verb

The key to this dual-medium success is wing flexibility, which must be supple enough to reduce flapping amplitude underwater yet rigid enough to keep the vehicle airborne.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
The robot flaps five to six times a second to maintain flight.

— Ari Daniel, NPR, 9 July 2026

Definition of flap

Verb

And with a handful of film distributors siphoning a greater portion of box office revenue, the states argue that theaters will likely be forced to raise ticket prices and slash investments for larger screens, luxury seating and concessions.

— Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026
Warner dramatically reduced its own debt after slashing budgets, but is still tens of billions of dollars in the red, which helped set the stage for Paramount's unsolicited bid.

— David Folkenflik, NPR, 13 July 2026

Definition of slash

Noun

Their dynamic is instead a cudgel to beat the film into an even more revolting shape.

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 10 July 2026
The sports question has become a political cudgel for Republicans with an eye on growing divisions among Democrats over stances on certain transgender issues that polls show are unpopular with a majority of voters.

— Simon Montlake, Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2026

Definition of cudgel

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flag-wavers

flail

flailed

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Style

“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of flail

verb

noun

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