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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 Luis Arraez took a pitch down the middle, then flailed at a changeup almost in the dirt. — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 Daniels confessed that the Hendrick teams underestimated their gap to the Toyotas, which won five of the first six races, then flailed by trying to do too much in their setups at early races, including Darlington and Phoenix. — ABC News, 14 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flailed
  1. flapped
  2. whipped
  3. fluttered
  4. slashed
  5. lashed
  6. flicked
  7. thrashed
  8. slapped
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
  • 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
Definition of flapped
Verb
  • After learning that Manchester whipped Maggie with a cat-o’-nine-tails, Lizzie agrees to help the Borden family’s maid kill her.
    — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
  • That sort of whipped, inswinging ball from Slater that caused so much havoc is hugely familiar to avid Premier League watchers.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of whipped
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
  • Yellow flags Nothing did more damage to UConn’s defense in Saturday’s opener than the little yellow flags that fluttered onto the field from the referees’ waistband.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of fluttered
Verb
  • Budget proposals for the past two years have slashed NASA’s science funding, and some of the nation’s best and brightest minds have now left the space agency because of uncertainty about their role in its future.
    — Eric Niiler, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Those tariffs were slashed in May 2025 after trade negotiators in Switzerland struck a temporary deal, which was extended in mid-August.
    — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of slashed
Verb
  • Trump has also lashed out at individual reporters in person or over social media, sometimes in strikingly personal terms -- insulting them in briefings, or in his recent speech at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Trump has also lashed out at individual reporters in person or over social media, sometimes in strikingly personal terms.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of lashed
Verb
  • Reus played a free kick from near the left end line to the near post, where Klauss flicked in a header in the 76th minute.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The 26-year-old flicked a shot from the top of the 6-yard box off the left post, but slammed home the rebound.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of flicked
Verb
  • With a body thrashed by occupational hazards, Hsu, who is forty-four, orients his life nowadays around running Sci-Fi Fantasy, his skate company, and roaming the city to take pictures.
    — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The flooding on the canyon floor started Saturday afternoon after waves of rainfall thrashed Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch – the only lodging under the rim of the Grand Canyon.
    — Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of thrashed
Verb
  • Since the beginning of the year, his administration has slapped sanctions regularly on Cuban officials, government enterprises and military companies and has cut off oil supplies to the Cuban government.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The Tigers got slapped by a 76-yard touchdown on the second play of the game.
    — PJ Green September 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of slapped

Browse Nearby Words

flail
flailed
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Cite this Entry

“Flailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flailed. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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