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
Relevance
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
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
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
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 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
Some fans said the actor instead resembled an early-PlayStation-era cutscene character who robotically flails his limbs upon impact.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
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 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
-
Anderson said the warmth helps calm them down stops their eyes from fluttering.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2026
-
Advertisement Crossing an overpass into my western suburb of Baghdad, militia flags stamped with Ali Khamenei’s face fluttered in the wind.—
Nabil Salih,
Time,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
The wind whipped her face and her little legs stretched higher and higher, pulling her into orbit.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
-
Last month, as a steady, pre-rainy season wind whipped off the Atlantic Ocean, the sounds of samba, morna and jazz filled the streets.—
Ricci Shryock,
NPR,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
For decades, the Fifth Fleet has been the U.S.’s principle bludgeon to ensure freedom of navigation through the strait.—
Brian Bennett,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Iran practices honest bludgeon work.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The fathers, faces ruddy, prayed in Latin for her soul, black robes flapping in the wind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
-
There is a whole class of flying machine known as Ornithopters with flapping wings, most of which have been notably unsuccessful.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
But only the girls got a look and a kiss with him, while competing men didn't know who was hiding in the back.—
Lily Brown,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
-
The Last Act delves deep into Jax (Michael Kovach), revealing that the bunny has been hiding his true self the entire time.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Four were fishing with cane poles from a rickety dock.—
Byron W. Dalrymple,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
-
They can also be seen around mountains, swamps, cane thickets, wooded stream corridors, and rural habitats.—
Jack Armstrong,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Deleon had at least seven prior arrests, including a 2022 case in which he was accused of slashing a man in the neck.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
-
Residents have offered several suggestions for cuts, including reducing pensions, slashing commissioners' salaries in half, cutting the city manager's salary, eliminating staff redundancy, getting rid of take-home cars, and pausing park upgrades without public input.—
Ted Scouten,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Judges, attorneys, guardians and other court professionals have repeatedly used custody as a cudgel, according to some family court attorneys and advocates, punishing parents for their conduct by limiting their access to their children.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
-
Linda wields her absolute power over Bradley like a cudgel, exploiting his helplessness to emotionally abuse and manipulate him.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
