as in to whip
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
the pirate captain threatened to horsewhip any of his crew who questioned his orders
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Recent Examples of horsewhip
The Speccie’s star columnist is the rudest man in Christendom, the Godzilla of contumely, an all-time non-sufferer of fools who horsewhips his targets the way Hunter S. Thompson and Christopher Hitchens once did.
—
Kyle Smith, National Review, 23 Apr. 2020
In reality, Watson wasn’t a bar fighter or famous for horsewhipping cowboys.
—Eliza McGraw, Smithsonian, 12 Mar. 2018
Kyle Smith, National Review, 23 Apr. 2020
In reality, Watson wasn’t a bar fighter or famous for horsewhipping cowboys.
—Eliza McGraw, Smithsonian, 12 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horsewhip
Verb
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The wind and waves whipped around us.—
Richard Greenberg,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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According to initial police reports, the man sitting in the driver’s seat was pistol whipped and robbed of his wallet that contained cash and other personal items.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That’s why scrolling by date and scrubbing through videos still works — search hides uncertainty, scrolling shows everything.—
Ken Colburn,
AZCentral.com,
8 Feb. 2026
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Days after federal agents arrested the Ecuadorian mother hiding under a trailer on a snowy Minneapolis street, White House border czar Tom Homan said 700 federal law enforcement personnel will be withdrawn from the state.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Just as the trial for Samuel Patrick Groft was about to kick off, the 45-year-old instead pleaded no contest Wednesday to a slew of vandalism charges stemming from the seven-day slashing rampage.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
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And boosting, not slashing, anti-hunger programs.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The texture play looks cool and intentional, like an all-black outfit that layers leather with silk.—
Samantha Brash,
InStyle,
8 Feb. 2026
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All thoughtfully designed with custom touches— from minibars designed as leather campaign chests to leather writing tables accentuating the space.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The skier’s comments somehow came to the attention of the president, who lashed out at Hess on Truth Social on Sunday.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
8 Feb. 2026
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Whether the game is a blowout or comes down to a fateful goal-line stand, loyalists of one team may leap for joy, while others might lash out in anger, pummeling their TV sets or sinking into a deep postgame funk.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horsewhip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horsewhip. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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