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
ABC News, 12 May 2026
The 7-foot-4 phenom then flailed his right arm back and struck Reid in the neck.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
The Braves were a ratings hit, and when the team flailed and went up for sale, Turner’s company became its owner in 1976.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
The Wild turned a corner scrum on the Avs’ side of the ice into a loose puck in front of Wedgie’s crease, and Minnesota’s Marcus Johansson slipped it past the Avs’ flailing netminder to trim the deficit to 3-1.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flail
Verb
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
The 7-foot-4 phenom then flailed his right arm back and struck Reid in the neck.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
The Braves were a ratings hit, and when the team flailed and went up for sale, Turner’s company became its owner in 1976.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
The Wild turned a corner scrum on the Avs’ side of the ice into a loose puck in front of Wedgie’s crease, and Minnesota’s Marcus Johansson slipped it past the Avs’ flailing netminder to trim the deficit to 3-1.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flail
Verb
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Xi and a line-up of his top officials shook hands with the Russian president, before the relaxed-looking leaders stood shoulder to shoulder during a gun salute, while a military band played and Russian and Chinese flags fluttered in the background.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
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As of Wednesday, the flags of the 48 nations competing in the World Cup began fluttering, crisscrossed above the plaza at Crown Center.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2026
Verb
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In baseball news, Screencaps the III got his very first legitimate hit of the season by lacing one over the second baseman's head last night with winds whipping 20-25 mph off Lake Erie.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
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When Djena neglected to do a chore, Denise would use a belt or a power cord to whip Djena, leaving her covered in bruises.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Iran practices honest bludgeon work.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
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Kerolin’s head was down and eventually so was Shaw’s, her run stopped, arms flapped against her side.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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The place is a sound-effects recording studio, with three sound designers creating and dubbing aural effects — footsteps on a sandy beach, flapping bird wings — onto pieces of film footage.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Perhaps the best example of that is how much Ware has been utilized in zone defense, an approach that some might contend is hiding the 2024 first-round pick from the direct challenges of his position.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
23 May 2026
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Metal-poor stars are often associated with ancient dwarf galaxies, which the Milky Way might have consumed over time to grow to its current massive state — and remnants of these cosmic meals might be hiding deep within the galaxy.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
23 May 2026
Noun
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The Rio Grande was twenty feet away, shining between stalks of river cane.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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Renovated in 2023, the traditional Goan style continues in guest rooms with parquet floors, cane weave chairs, antique-style wardrobes with mirrors and headboards, and furnished balconies or terraces.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Food and drink Pastries are baked daily by the hotel’s sister property, Stockton Market, a shoppy shop slash bakery, and brought over to the Stockton Inn's lobby every morning.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 May 2026
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During the previous administration, available slots at the capital’s airport were slashed from 61 to 43 per hour, before ticking back up to 44 last year.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
Noun
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The attempt by right-wing activists to use the collapse of Spirit Airlines as a cudgel against the Democrats is ironic and absurd.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2026
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The three main mayoral candidates seem to have finally prioritized the problem, or at least understand its value as a cudgel against each other.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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