as in whipping
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1
as in hiding
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
a graphic depiction of a sailor being flogged by the captain for disobeying orders
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in licking
to strike repeatedly
was fined heavily for flogging a horse
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in shuffling
British
to move heavily or clumsily
for most of the night, searchers flogged through the marsh, crying out for the lost child
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in struggling
British
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
ignoring the groans and catcalls that his speech was provoking, the backbencher flogged away
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flogging
Victoria M. Walker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 May 2026
None of that requires punishing him with a public flogging.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
In September 1850, Congress banned flogging on all US ships.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Cheating has been part of the Olympics since the ancient games, when violators were punished with fines, public flogging or lifetime bans.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Despite a pretty lively premiere week thanks to a public flogging from critics that seemed to pique audience interest, All’s Fair did have some tough competition during that interval as well.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2025
Peter White, Deadline, 11 May 2026
White-Jacket did cause a stir with its discussion of the arbitrary and cruel use of flogging in the US Navy.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Examples include a husband having the legal right to restrict his wife’s travel and employment, unequal divorce rights and punishment for appearing in public without a hijab ranging from fines to prison time to flogging.
—Ellie Austin, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
Others have called out the boring marketing campaign based around flogging variants in order for Swift to finally beat the record for the biggest opening sales week for a female artist in history (currently held by Adele, which she is likely projected to break).
—Bianca Davino, Refinery29, 7 Oct. 2025
The only thing tougher to watch than the Bengals’ offense on Sunday was Browning flogging himself over the failure.
—Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
The Black Death and its aftermath saw a great resurgence of apocalyptic flagellation, with thousands of adherents flogging themselves up and down the Continent (the movement failed to take off in England, which figures).
—Michael Robbins, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
Aikens has a modest staff, including a host and a house dom, a professional dominant who performs demonstrations such as flogging and wax play for the 30-and-over crowd.
—Victoria M. Walker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 May 2026
None of that requires punishing him with a public flogging.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
In September 1850, Congress banned flogging on all US ships.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Cheating has been part of the Olympics since the ancient games, when violators were punished with fines, public flogging or lifetime bans.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Despite a pretty lively premiere week thanks to a public flogging from critics that seemed to pique audience interest, All’s Fair did have some tough competition during that interval as well.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2025
Verb
In an even more meta moment, Amazon interrupted its own Upfront with actual ads with Summer House star Paige DeSorbo flogging certain items to an increasingly frustrated audience.
—Peter White, Deadline, 11 May 2026
White-Jacket did cause a stir with its discussion of the arbitrary and cruel use of flogging in the US Navy.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Examples include a husband having the legal right to restrict his wife’s travel and employment, unequal divorce rights and punishment for appearing in public without a hijab ranging from fines to prison time to flogging.
—Ellie Austin, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
Others have called out the boring marketing campaign based around flogging variants in order for Swift to finally beat the record for the biggest opening sales week for a female artist in history (currently held by Adele, which she is likely projected to break).
—Bianca Davino, Refinery29, 7 Oct. 2025
The only thing tougher to watch than the Bengals’ offense on Sunday was Browning flogging himself over the failure.
—Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
The Black Death and its aftermath saw a great resurgence of apocalyptic flagellation, with thousands of adherents flogging themselves up and down the Continent (the movement failed to take off in England, which figures).
—Michael Robbins, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flogging
Noun
-
Is this over baking or under-whipping?—
Emily Elias,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 May 2026
-
There was physical violence as well — whippings, beatings, even bricks thrown.—
Pamela Chelin,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The Dodge County District Attorney’s Office also formally charged Aaron with first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse, the sheriff’s office said.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
-
The companies submitted the request Monday after a criminal indictment accused the operator, Synergy Marine Private Limited, and an employee of failing to comply with maritime safety laws, falsifying inspections, and hiding dangerous conditions on the ship.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Even small exposures—such as licking pollen off fur or drinking water from a vase containing lilies—can be toxic.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
15 May 2026
-
Vietnamese-style sweet-and-spicy chicken wings are a hot, finger-licking mess.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
This meant slowly shuffling into the wilderness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
-
At 2-0 down, and with Nuno Espirito Santo shuffling to a back-four, there was a flicker of a pulse and two decent saves from Nick Pope.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Many libraries’ orders went unfulfilled, and all but the largest ones were left struggling to get popular titles to their patrons.—
Adeel Hassan,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Across Oahu’s North Shore, an area famed for its big-wave surfing, the small farms that help supply the island’s food are struggling after back-to-back storms in March brought the state’s worst flooding in two decades.—
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Arsenal enters the match as the favorite, but Sporting has been resilient in the Champions League, rebounding from a 3-0 loss to tournament darlings Bodo/Glimt with a 5-0 thrashing in Lisbon.—
Pueng Vongs,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
His only Champions League goal arrived in January’s 6-0 thrashing of Qarabag, and his only assists in the competition came in similarly comfortable wins over Eintracht Frankfurt and Galatasaray.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has also proposed slashing nearly $800 million from the park system’s roughly $3-billion operating budget.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
-
Boston alone has proposed slashing 568 positions in a budget proposal passed by the local school committee in March, resulting in slashes to currently vacant positions but also including hundreds of layoffs.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The competition’s main host, the United States, is lashing out at the world, hunting conflict across three continents.—
Franklin Leonard,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
-
The whole episode, Kyle is a pendulum swinging between anger and sadness, between lashing out and injuring Amanda, and looking to be the victim.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flogging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flogging. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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