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

Relevance

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

She was then treated and cleared for travel, and her sling was padded with foam to keep her from flailing her tail. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026 Whining, crying, kicking, hitting, flailing, dropping to the floor, holding their breath, going limp, running away or throwing things are all part of the picture. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Trump is merely flailing for options that might avoid the humiliation of losing the war or the risk of escalating beyond standoff strikes. — Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 6 Aug. 2026 Wang joined in June of last year as the centerpiece of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s effort to revamp his company’s flailing artificial intelligence strategy. — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flail

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flail

Verb

The first model emerged onto a sinuous runway in a nubuck coat paired with chiffon pants that fluttered in the breeze, revealing knee-high calfskin boots.

— Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Planted in a mound of debris, fluttering in the unforgiving wind, was the red-and-gold Chinese flag.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of flutter

Verb

Into the work, esparza’s has also added a scene from the Florentine Codex showing a Spaniard whipping an Indigenous person and images of ICE raids in LA and Chicago, connecting centuries of oppression together.

— Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Many Hoosiers whip out their smartphones to pay for a latte or a drink at a bar.

— Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of whip

Verb

Above the dancers flapped a ring of American flags, each representing a military veteran from the community who had passed away.

— Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Thanks in part to a National Science Foundation (NSF) fellowship, Drew explored several designs for flying and became interested in creating robots that flap their wings in a way similar to real-life creatures.

— Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of flap

Verb

Instead of hiding the internal mechanism, the design makes the mechanical elements part of the experience — allowing users to see, feel, and interact with the structure.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2026
Taylor built a career out of being fully, unapologetically herself, rarely hiding behind the cloak of fame with an unrelenting focus on her pursuits.

— Kathy Lee, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of hide

Noun

Brazil’s ethanol pivot and India’s sugar imports Higher energy prices are also making ethanol more attractive relative to sugar in Brazil, where mills can shift cane between the two products.

— Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 6 Sep. 2026
Police said Strode walks with a cane, usually wears sunglasses and carries a medical alert necklace.

— Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of cane

Verb

The new approach, the research team explains, could replace the current slow, labor-intensive process, ultimately slashing the cost of production.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
The background of the film is the budget slashes that are happening in this sector all over the Western world, as the government withdraws its own form of care.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 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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Style

“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of flail

verb

noun

Example Sentences

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