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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flail
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 8 May 2025
Another flailing, electricity-sparking psychic break!
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025
Royals World Series legends join Savannah Bananas at The K
Here are more notable aspects of Saturday’s game:
Royals flail at the plate
The Royals needed the heroic efforts of Pasquantino and Perez on Saturday.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2025
Domi lined up Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov from behind just as the final buzzer was sounding on Sunday’s 2-0 loss and sent him flailing into the boards from a vulnerable position, kicking off a scrum that could reverberate back to Toronto for Game 5 of this second-round series.
—Chris Johnston, New York Times, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for flail
Verb
The implications go far beyond miniature flailing tube men.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 8 May 2025
Another flailing, electricity-sparking psychic break!
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025
Royals World Series legends join Savannah Bananas at The K
Here are more notable aspects of Saturday’s game:
Royals flail at the plate
The Royals needed the heroic efforts of Pasquantino and Perez on Saturday.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2025
Domi lined up Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov from behind just as the final buzzer was sounding on Sunday’s 2-0 loss and sent him flailing into the boards from a vulnerable position, kicking off a scrum that could reverberate back to Toronto for Game 5 of this second-round series.
—Chris Johnston, New York Times, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for flail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flail
Verb
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American flags fluttered, along with the occasional LGBTQ+ banner.—
Michael Wilner,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2025
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American and Saudi flags fluttered throughout the capital, and an all-American fleet of police vehicles formed a visible security perimeter around key sites.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
Verb
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The suspect, who sported pink hair and several face piercings, got into the 68-year-old victim’s cab around 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 4, pretending to be a customer, but instead whipped out a knife and demanded the victim’s property, according to cops.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
5 June 2025
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For example, defendants in this state are allowed to hire experts to lie and the defense can then whip the public into a frenzy by promoting the lies.—
Wendy Murphy,
Boston Herald,
4 June 2025
Noun
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When the Republican Charles Sumner was struck down by a Southerner on the Senate floor, Raymond’s paper called for armed resistance by pistol, bludgeon, and bowie knife, if necessary.—
Matthew Karp,
Harpers Magazine,
29 Apr. 2025
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Todd Golden could cycle body after body in the paint to bludgeon opponents and wear them down over 40 minutes, and Condon and Rueben Chinyelu, the Gators’ two starters, were crucial parts of that rotation.—
Jim Root,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
Verb
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The car journey to the house, with a sheet of plastic taped over a broken window flapping noisily, is nerve-rattling, even more so because what follows is played out offscreen.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 June 2025
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The culminating 1950s dance in the school gym gets into high-energy flapping hoop skirt territory.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
6 June 2025
Verb
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The idea is simple: guests hide small rubber ducks around the ship for others to find.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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In a motor-sport where milliseconds separate champions from also-rans, hiding technical know-how from opponents is as key as a fresh pair of tires.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
13 June 2025
Noun
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Those kinds of broadsides could be a particularly powerful cudgel against Trump just five months into his second term.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
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Trump has used the ECB’s recent rate cuts as a cudgel with which to pressure Fed Chair Jerome Powell.—
Anna Cooban,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
Verb
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The obvious problem is there are not enough things to slash to pay for the irresponsible tax cuts and spending included in the bill.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2025
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Some protesters hurled large chunks of broken concrete at officers, slashed tires and defaced buildings, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
Noun
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Studying cane fires when few occur guarantees skewed findings.—
Colin Walkes,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2025
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Because sugar cane absorbs more CO2 while growing than the amount that is released when making the packaging, this is considered a carbon-negative packaging solution, giving this sunscreen option bonus points for eco-friendliness.—
Mariana Zapata,
Travel + Leisure,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
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