as in waving
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as in fluttering
to move or cause to move with a striking motion
the stirring sight of a huge flock of geese flapping their wings
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Recent Examples of flapping
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026
Somatic shaking can look a little different from one person to the next, but usually involves a few minutes of wildly uncoordinated jumping, arm flapping, and foot stomping.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 2 Mar. 2026
The doll also was given articulated elbows and wrists to acknowledge stimming, hand flapping and other gestures that some autistic people use to process sensory information or to express excitement, according to Mattel.
—Dallas Morning News, 12 Jan. 2026
The doll also was given articulated elbows and wrists to acknowledge stimming, hand flapping and other gestures that some people with autism use to process sensory information or to express excitement, according to Mattel.
—CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
In the body, there’s a new articulation of the elbows and wrists that allows expressive hand gestures, such as hand flapping, which some autistic people may use to process their experiences or express themselves.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 12 Jan. 2026
As City prodded a stubborn defensive Everton shape that held Chelsea to their first WSL defeat under head coach Sonia Bompastor, there was no gurgling angst or arm flapping.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
For insect-sized robots, the weight of a battery powerful enough to sustain continuous flapping often exceeds the robot’s own lifting capacity.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
The man whom Navarro likes to call the Boss seems to value insincere, or bought, obeisance—the flapping and fussing of a maître d’—more than heartfelt fandom, which lacks the piquancy of humiliation.
—Ian Parker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
There is a whole class of flying machine known as Ornithopters with flapping wings, most of which have been notably unsuccessful.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
The place is a sound-effects recording studio, with three sound designers creating and dubbing aural effects — footsteps on a sandy beach, flapping bird wings — onto pieces of film footage.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 May 2026
The tents were flapping about in two or three feet of water.
—Ben East, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
Wingersizing refers to exercises like wing-flapping and jumping that bald eagle chicks practice to prepare for their first flight.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 12 May 2026
Smaller birds darted around, their small wings flapping rapidly.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2026
The setting is Scotland — very exotic to Danes back in the 19th century (not to mention great for showing off a male dancer’s petit batterie beneath a flapping kilt).
—Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Apr. 2026
Yes, literally like a bird flapping its wings.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
With the skin flapping, his words, not mine, the medical staff went full MacGyver on Buckberger.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026
Somatic shaking can look a little different from one person to the next, but usually involves a few minutes of wildly uncoordinated jumping, arm flapping, and foot stomping.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 2 Mar. 2026
The doll also was given articulated elbows and wrists to acknowledge stimming, hand flapping and other gestures that some autistic people use to process sensory information or to express excitement, according to Mattel.
—Dallas Morning News, 12 Jan. 2026
The doll also was given articulated elbows and wrists to acknowledge stimming, hand flapping and other gestures that some people with autism use to process sensory information or to express excitement, according to Mattel.
—CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
In the body, there’s a new articulation of the elbows and wrists that allows expressive hand gestures, such as hand flapping, which some autistic people may use to process their experiences or express themselves.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 12 Jan. 2026
As City prodded a stubborn defensive Everton shape that held Chelsea to their first WSL defeat under head coach Sonia Bompastor, there was no gurgling angst or arm flapping.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
For insect-sized robots, the weight of a battery powerful enough to sustain continuous flapping often exceeds the robot’s own lifting capacity.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
The man whom Navarro likes to call the Boss seems to value insincere, or bought, obeisance—the flapping and fussing of a maître d’—more than heartfelt fandom, which lacks the piquancy of humiliation.
—Ian Parker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Verb
The fathers, faces ruddy, prayed in Latin for her soul, black robes flapping in the wind.
—Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
There is a whole class of flying machine known as Ornithopters with flapping wings, most of which have been notably unsuccessful.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
The place is a sound-effects recording studio, with three sound designers creating and dubbing aural effects — footsteps on a sandy beach, flapping bird wings — onto pieces of film footage.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 May 2026
The tents were flapping about in two or three feet of water.
—Ben East, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
Wingersizing refers to exercises like wing-flapping and jumping that bald eagle chicks practice to prepare for their first flight.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 12 May 2026
Smaller birds darted around, their small wings flapping rapidly.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2026
The setting is Scotland — very exotic to Danes back in the 19th century (not to mention great for showing off a male dancer’s petit batterie beneath a flapping kilt).
—Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Apr. 2026
Yes, literally like a bird flapping its wings.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flapping
Noun
-
With his own future still unconfirmed, Guardiola could be seen pumping his fists in celebration when Rayan Cherki slipped in the third goal and, after the final whistle, there was a victory walk around the pitch and a lot of affectionate waving and kiss-blowing.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
-
It also has been roiled by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, stirring protests outside the venues and forcing organizers to clamp down on political flag-waving.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Moreover, many insects have been observed fluttering around ultraviolet lamps and other light sources that emit low quantities of heat, as well as seeking out light sources when the ambient temperature is high, contradicting the premise of the thermal radiation theory.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 May 2026
-
As of Wednesday, the flags of the 48 nations competing in the World Cup began fluttering, crisscrossed above the plaza at Crown Center.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
For all his bobbing and flailing, and sensitive shaping of the music, conductor Christian Capocaccia evinced little attention to singers.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
But his role was not to fix a flailing business, but, rather, to keep a roaring flame alive.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Casting near banks and using a twitching technique can increase success during the hatch.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
-
During this phase, octopuses display visible twitching along with rapid changes in skin color and texture, per NPR.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flapping. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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