1
as in fluttering
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 whipping
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
gruesome evidence that the prisoner had been flailed
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in flapping
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of flailing
Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
In its anguished flailing, the memoir managed to burn bridges with his father, brother, and stepmother overnight.
—Alexander Larman, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
On the ground in Wedgewood Houston, a tiny bird fought an army of enclosing fire ants, wildly kicking and flailing.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Sep. 2025
The last one, right below the zone, had Crow-Armstrong flailing to end the frame.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 6 Sep. 2025
Our solidarity with the core values and aspirations of Connecticut residents explains why Democrats have been growing our legislative majorities since 2018 while Republicans have been shrinking, flailing and failing.
—Martin M. Looney, Hartford Courant, 20 Aug. 2025
Besides a full day of groundbreaking music, flailing fans can buy vintage and new merch, local food and drink, and enjoy immersive CBGB installations, including the notorious bar and stage from the original club.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Ellison arrives at Paramount well-prepared in terms of the executives he’s chosen to help right the flailing entertainment conglomerate, which has been under the rule of the Sumner Redstone family for more than three decades.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2025
Fitzgerald went to Fonseca as the World Review, the highly respected literary publication she and her husband Desmond co-edited, was flailing financially.
—Jane Ciabattari
august 12, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
The central sanctuary has been flailing since Rudy Giuliani’s drug war pushed out the Limelight.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 11 Aug. 2025
The entire cast is flailing around like a bunch of Sims who have been trapped in a room with no doors.
—Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
His portrayal of a parent trying to keep their head above water while flailing about under the surface rang true.
—Devonne Goode, Parents, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
Clark, who knelt beside Foo 30 years ago when the surfer was pulled lifeless from the sea, watched Slebir’s epic ride that day from the back of a Sea-Doo, set up to pull flailing surfers aboard.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
In its anguished flailing, the memoir managed to burn bridges with his father, brother, and stepmother overnight.
—Alexander Larman, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
On the ground in Wedgewood Houston, a tiny bird fought an army of enclosing fire ants, wildly kicking and flailing.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Sep. 2025
The last one, right below the zone, had Crow-Armstrong flailing to end the frame.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
The Democratic Party brand is in the gutter and at least one of its aspiring standard bearers is settling for chasing his own ambitions instead of trying to effectively pump life into the flailing party.
—Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 6 Sep. 2025
Our solidarity with the core values and aspirations of Connecticut residents explains why Democrats have been growing our legislative majorities since 2018 while Republicans have been shrinking, flailing and failing.
—Martin M. Looney, Hartford Courant, 20 Aug. 2025
Besides a full day of groundbreaking music, flailing fans can buy vintage and new merch, local food and drink, and enjoy immersive CBGB installations, including the notorious bar and stage from the original club.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Ellison arrives at Paramount well-prepared in terms of the executives he’s chosen to help right the flailing entertainment conglomerate, which has been under the rule of the Sumner Redstone family for more than three decades.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2025
Fitzgerald went to Fonseca as the World Review, the highly respected literary publication she and her husband Desmond co-edited, was flailing financially.
—Jane Ciabattari
august 12, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
The central sanctuary has been flailing since Rudy Giuliani’s drug war pushed out the Limelight.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 11 Aug. 2025
The entire cast is flailing around like a bunch of Sims who have been trapped in a room with no doors.
—Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
His portrayal of a parent trying to keep their head above water while flailing about under the surface rang true.
—Devonne Goode, Parents, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flailing
Verb
-
Birds can soar through the sky for long periods without flapping their wings.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Well, the 23-year-old Belgian was among Europe’s best shot-stopping goalkeepers last season, is quick off his line and appears to be pretty composed, which would be ideal around his two flapping new goalkeeper team mates.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Boaters were the last to be warned to watch the sky as a line of wind-whipping storms pushed out to sea.—
Joe Dwinell,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Golden State usually opens games whipping the ball around and making teams uncomfortable with its aggressive style of defense.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Males and females both wave their legs and the waving was not related to courtship or competition.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Where at one time soldiers and sailors made do with fluttering flags or flashes of light to send simple messages, the modern warfighter is part of a global digital network where data rushes about like water out of a firehose and satellites act as a vital link in that network.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
6 Sep. 2025
-
From November to March, the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve transforms into a vibrant, fluttering kingdom.—
Gaby Keiderling,
Robb Report,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But this chassis could be the ultimate mainstream case for cable-hiding showoffs.—
Thomas Soderstrom,
PC Magazine,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Throughout the writhing and the screaming, Julia’s fortitude wears down a defiant Davina, whose history with Lovat feeds the moment.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The luxury furniture retailer fell roughly 8% in premarket trading after slashing its annual revenue outlook.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Despite the shock loss, Milei has vowed no changes to his divisive agenda, which has reshaped Argentina’s economy, slashing inflation while boosting growth.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Patients first experience twitching or weakness in a limb, often followed by slurred speech.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flailing. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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