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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
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 Top McCain-Palin aides later acknowledged that backlash to the Couric interview, as well as Palin's flailing performance in other sit-downs, influenced the campaign's trajectory. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 20 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
  • 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
  • Michele plays Darcy Miles, a Pilates Princess and trainer who, when asked to whip her girls into shape, flexes her muscles too hard.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 17 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
  • Cuts to public agencies have coincided with outbreaks of infectious and foodborne diseases, to the point that the administration is trying to manipulate numbers to hide measles deaths.
    — Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The restaurant is also available for private-dining bookings with a room that can instantly tint its glass, hiding diners with the flip of a switch.
    — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 17 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
  • But energy analysts credit Beijing's slashing imports as having the single greatest impact on moderating prices since the start of the war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
  • But energy analysts credit Beijing’s slashing imports as having the single greatest impact on moderating prices since the start of the war.
    — Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 19 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 23 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flail

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flail

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