flailed

verb

past tense of flail
1
as in flapped
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 whipped
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 flailed The man hugged a bag, the woman shouted and flailed her arms, and the young teenage boy pulled at his sister, who seemed stupefied. — Literary Hub, 21 July 2026 Belgium’s Hans Vanaken thumped it into the goal past defender Tim Ream, who flailed lamely as Belgium scored. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 7 July 2026 Another turn in a winning season that would have seemed improbable two months ago, when the Phillies flailed and manager Rob Thomson lost his job. — Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 27 June 2026 Crow-Armstrong flailed and pounded the offering into the ground. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 8 June 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 Gorman flailed at a 96 mph full-count four-seamer. — Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 19 Apr. 2026 After being placed in a government vehicle, Ferreira Borges allegedly kicked, flailed, and screamed obscenities at officers, officials said. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flailed
  1. flapped
  2. whipped
  3. fluttered
  4. slashed
  5. lashed
  6. flicked
  7. thrashed
  8. slapped
Verb
  • Luna then tried to jump over Sandy to get back into the bowl of the nest, but Sandy lost her balance and flapped down to the lower branches.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 July 2026
  • On the touchline, MacPhee flapped his arms in frustration.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 23 June 2026
Definition of flapped
Verb
  • Three minutes later, Son put away a volley after Carles Gil stopped a ball at the end line and whipped a cross into the center of the box.
    — Kamran Nia July 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
  • Juan Rivera tried mate for the first time from his now wife Tiffany, who whipped it up for him while manning a beverage booth at a music festival.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of whipped
Verb
  • Young people fluttered about, wearing custom white T-shirts emblazoned with the festival’s retro cartoon-style poster art.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • On Thursday morning, fat bees perched on black-and-blue sage flowers, and doves loudly fluttered from fruit tree to fruit tree.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of fluttered
Verb
  • During the same period, state lawmakers have cut top personal income tax rates 210 times and slashed corporate tax rates 168 times.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 30 July 2026
  • Then, weeks after the conflict broke out, the country abruptly slashed its oil purchases, eventually cutting them by half compared with prewar levels.
    — Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026
Definition of slashed
Verb
  • Beijing lashed out, restricting vital commerce and the flow of Chinese tourists on which Japan – the world’s fourth-largest economy – depends.
    — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026
  • Trump has repeatedly lashed out at the CNN White House correspondent, and her colleagues have defended her against him.
    — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 28 July 2026
Definition of lashed
Verb
  • Timo Baumgartl chipped a cross to left side, where Tomas Totland flicked a header back to Ostrak for a bending shot from the corner of the penalty area that ricocheted off the back post to open the scoring.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
  • Standing up, the Ghost actress dramatically flicked back her signature waist-length sleek black hair and spun around, ready to get to work on the girls.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 25 July 2026
Definition of flicked
Verb
  • Denis Bouanga scored two goals, Son Heung-min scored in his third consecutive match since the World Cup break, and Los Angeles FC thrashed Sporting Kansas City 4-0 on Saturday night for its fourth consecutive victory.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 July 2026
  • Denis Bouanga scored two goals, Son Heung-min scored in his third consecutive match since the World Cup break, and LAFC thrashed Sporting Kansas City 4-0 on Saturday night for its fourth consecutive victory.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of thrashed
Verb
  • The liability verdict Basabe’s former aide, Nicolas Frevola, testified that Basabe slapped him in the face at a private event in January 2023 and that Basabe slapped his butt without his consent a month prior.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
  • The Atlanta Journal’s weather reporter went to Florida to spend a quiet vacation away from the elements — and on the very first day a tropical storm jumped up and slapped him in the face.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of slapped

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Cite this Entry

“Flailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flailed. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of flailed for Spanish Speakers

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