Synonyms of flailed

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

• flapped
• fluttered
• flopped
• whipped
• swung
• waved
• flicked
• knocked
• smacked
• banged
• buffeted
• thumped
• beat
• swayed
• pounded
• flitted
• flickered
• battered
• spanked
• fanned
• oscillated
• throbbed
• pulsed
• undulated
• palpitated

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

• whipped
• slashed
• lashed
• flicked
• thrashed
• slapped
• switched
• knocked
• hit
• punched
• flogged
• hided
• smacked
• scourged
• flagellated
• banged
• licked
• spanked
• cut
• pounded
• batted
• tanned
• whacked
• horsewhipped
• whaled
• mauled
• strapped
• swiped
• clapped
• leathered
• clipped
• birched
• thumped
• swatted
• cowhided
• rawhided
• beat
• clubbed
• pelted
• caned
• pummeled
• bashed
• buffeted
• bopped
• boxed
• cracked
• clobbered
• slugged
• battered
• smote
• touched up
• paddled
• mangled
• thwacked
• socked
• hammered
• cuffed
• quirted
• pasted
• bludgeoned
• lathered
• roughed
• knouted
• lambasted
• busted
• slogged
• belabored
• threshed
• tromped
• clouted
• walloped
• bunged
• whupped
• lammed
• belted
• laced
• basted
• slated
• worked over
• fibbed
• cudgeled
• pistol-whipped
• blackjacked
• fustigated
• whopped
• drubbed
• pommeled

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of flailed

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

On an odd-man rush, New Jersey's Jesper Bratt scored the go-ahead goal for his second score of the game from the left circle off a perfect pass from Jack Hughes as John Gibson flailed around in an attempt to stop the puck. — CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026

Coach Hansen flailed his fist, calling it the biggest win in school history, the program’s second NorCal victory after Tuesday’s resounding 84-58 home win over Destiny Christian-Sacramento. — Mitch Stephens, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2026