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
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Recent Examples of flailed
In a video that went viral on social media, the girl appeared to grip the chairlift in a desperate struggle as her feet flailed in the air, still strapped to her snowboard.
—
Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
By then, Achiuwa had already beaten Tyler Kolek in a foot race to the ball, and Brown flailed his arms in frustration while screaming for his All-Star to get off the floor.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Kickboxing robots flailed wildly before falling over, and some sprinters crashed into rivals.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2025
On Sunday, Merrill flailed at two sliders in the dirt from Tyler Glasnow before looking at a third down the middle for strike three to strand a runner in the first inning.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
By then, Achiuwa had already beaten Tyler Kolek in a foot race to the ball, and Brown flailed his arms in frustration while screaming for his All-Star to get off the floor.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Kickboxing robots flailed wildly before falling over, and some sprinters crashed into rivals.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2025
On Sunday, Merrill flailed at two sliders in the dirt from Tyler Glasnow before looking at a third down the middle for strike three to strand a runner in the first inning.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flailed
Verb
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But Chelsea — and Garnacho — responded again, the Argentina international reducing the arrears again after some Kepa had flapped at a cross.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
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A little way down the bank, a hoatzin flapped awkwardly in dense foliage.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Pierce died after being whipped with a belt and being forced to stand in a cold shower, authorities said.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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Winds whipped and livestock fled as first responders tried to quell the intense flames, another video showed.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Her eyes fluttered open then closed.—
Jayme Fraser,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
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The clergy made a full lap around the field to make sure all the angles were covered, including the end where Loop's very makeable kick fluttered wide.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And the money spent on new equipment and projects was slashed by an impressive 65% from the previous year.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
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The jobs report arrived weeks after a series of job cuts that slashed tens of thousands of workers combined at a handful of name-brand companies.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The group of 11 skiers and four guides was returning from a three-day backcountry ski trip during a winter storm that dumped up to 7 feet of snow and lashed the mountains with 60 mph winds.—
Matt Gutman,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
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Clinton, instead of delivering the usual liberal-candidate-seeks-Black-votes hominy, lashed out at her words.—
Johanna Neuman,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The day Hanceville’s police department was eliminated, a switch was flicked in a dispatch center at the county sheriff’s office in Cullman.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Off a pass from Alex Carpenter, Knight went streaking up the right side of the ice, fended off a defender and then flicked a goal into the top of the net.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Patriots leaned on Los Angeles offensively and thrashed them on defense, circling Justin Herbert in the first half before swarming him for four sacks in the second.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
13 Jan. 2026
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The Giants followed that up by getting thrashed by the Eagles in Philadelphia this past Sunday.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Beware of the word ‘spread’ slapped across anything passing itself off as pimento cheese.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
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The league also slapped the Pistons’ Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart with suspensions.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flailed. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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