as in flapping
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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
2
as in whipping
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
gruesome evidence that the prisoner had been flailed
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Recent Examples of flailing
Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
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
Alec Lewis, New York Times, 1 Nov. 2025
Elsbeth, who could make friends with a pepper grinder, is flailing a little bit in her attempts to connect deeply with her other colleagues.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
This was no ordinary offense that the Dodgers left flailing.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025
According to the Money Doctor, the administration’s interest in a plan that would substitute the dollar for the flailing Argentine peso has greatly intensified in recent weeks as Milei’s political fortunes have weakened.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
The film’s abundant humor and humanity are both rooted in DiCaprio’s ability to contain both of those people at once — to span the distance between those opposite shores while flailing towards each of them with equal desperation.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2025
The Red Sox continue to get help from the flailing Houston Astros, who lost 6-0 to the Athletics late Wednesday night for the club’s fifth straight loss.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
And, back at home, his FBI director, Kash Patel was flailing in a pair of congressional hearings this week when asked about Epstein.
—Chris Brennan, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Weeks 3 and 4, when Denver was flailing.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon called a timeout with five seconds remaining and Jackie Young flailing — wanting to ensure that the Aces got the final shot of the game — and Hammon put the ball in her MVP’s hands.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
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
Verb
The Lions are the new standard in the division, and the Vikings suddenly have the feel of an organization that is flailing a bit.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 1 Nov. 2025
Elsbeth, who could make friends with a pepper grinder, is flailing a little bit in her attempts to connect deeply with her other colleagues.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
This was no ordinary offense that the Dodgers left flailing.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025
According to the Money Doctor, the administration’s interest in a plan that would substitute the dollar for the flailing Argentine peso has greatly intensified in recent weeks as Milei’s political fortunes have weakened.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
The film’s abundant humor and humanity are both rooted in DiCaprio’s ability to contain both of those people at once — to span the distance between those opposite shores while flailing towards each of them with equal desperation.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2025
The Red Sox continue to get help from the flailing Houston Astros, who lost 6-0 to the Athletics late Wednesday night for the club’s fifth straight loss.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
And, back at home, his FBI director, Kash Patel was flailing in a pair of congressional hearings this week when asked about Epstein.
—Chris Brennan, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Weeks 3 and 4, when Denver was flailing.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flailing
Noun
-
Wind-tunnel measurements revealed that the FSF motion delivers higher lift coefficients and better head-up pitching moments compared with simple flapping.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Sep. 2025
-
When the wing flapping became incessant, the DNR team knew the eagles were just about ready.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
No one enjoys finding moths fluttering around the flour or tiny caterpillars crawling in the cereal.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The Bolas spider creates a silk lasso to catch fluttering moths.—
Kate Siber,
Outside,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The windproof and thermal wool blend fabric is the perfect shell to protect you on the many fall days in Paris, as the whipping wind adds an unexpected cool factor while strolling around town.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Nov. 2025
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Strong, whipping winds are expected to continue across Jamaica throughout the night.—
Matt Nighswander,
NBC news,
29 Oct. 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
-
This mismatch between perception and reality has real consequences, fueling the notion that higher education as a whole is elitist and out of touch, hiding the work of the colleges that educate millions of working- and middle-class families.—
Yolanda Watson Spiva,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
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Then keep scrolling to shop more of the best pieces hiding in Pottery Barn’s outlet now.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 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
-
This month, however, the USDA is slashing the maximum benefit roughly in half, so households with even modest incomes will see much steeper reductions that those with none.—
JOSÉ LUIS VILLEGAS,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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In the first half of the year, Tesla suffered from falling revenue as anti-Musk protesters picketed Tesla showrooms to denounce his role in slashing foreign aid and other government spending.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Patients first experience twitching or weakness in a limb, often followed by slurred speech.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flailing. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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