1
as in flutters
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 whips
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 flails
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
As Frances ascends in the art world, Avery flails financially and emotionally — and the nationwide Adderall shortage isn’t helping.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
Premiums are poised to rise next year as the party flails on whether to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 16 Dec. 2025
The 16-year-old flails her arms, thrashes and kicks — sometimes for hours.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
Verb
Some fans said the actor instead resembled an early-PlayStation-era cutscene character who robotically flails his limbs upon impact.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
As Frances ascends in the art world, Avery flails financially and emotionally — and the nationwide Adderall shortage isn’t helping.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
Premiums are poised to rise next year as the party flails on whether to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 16 Dec. 2025
The 16-year-old flails her arms, thrashes and kicks — sometimes for hours.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flails
Verb
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Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel (center) flutters a Venezuelan and Cuban national flags in support of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in Havana.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
3 Jan. 2026
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Each time, a new furnishing, a new nail to pin down the wings of a truth that flutters just out of reach.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 July 2025
Verb
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The vessel bends, blocks, and whips the wind into complex micro-currents before the air ever hits the sails.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
2 June 2026
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In the fourth minute, Meschack Elia whips a ball across the box to Bakambu, eight yards from goal.—
Franklin Leonard,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
Noun
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There’s Xi Jinping mogging Bibi Netanyahu while deafeningly aggro phonk bludgeons away; hype montages paint Marx as history’s greatest theorist and pair Zohran Mamdani quotes with Playboi Carti Die Lit cuts.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Upping the supernatural Hammer horror effect of Skrilla’s Zombie Love Kensington Paradise, Happy randomly flaps his lips, shifts his pitch and the tempo of his flow, and sounds like a disembodied voice rapping from inside of a suffocating fog.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
11 Dec. 2025
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In the canonical metaphorical example, a butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil, and the cascading sequence of atmospheric perturbations leads to a tornado in Texas.—
Dan Garisto,
Scientific American,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Signature shareable paellas and housemade sangria pitchers are must-tries across its three San Antonio locations—one of which hides the popular underground speakeasy, Cellar Mixology.—
Kat Stinson,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Dec. 2025
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But behind his friendly smile hides a deep pain.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The edible fruit can be used to make jelly, but watch for thorns on the shrub’s canes.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
27 May 2026
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Janney says a common way to do this is by using bamboo canes, tying strings around them in a circle to support the plant.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
26 May 2026
Verb
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The process cuts down air pollution and slashes industrial water consumption.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
-
Rivian slashes service wait times.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
10 June 2026
Noun
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In all, 1,900 volunteer marshals, most from the East End and equipped with yellow batons, seem to be cherishing their assignments.—
Jennifer McLogan,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
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Protesters hurled objects at security forces, prompting riot police to deploy batons and shields.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flails. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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