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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Example Sentences
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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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Read on to discover what the chefs will be whipping us this year at Culinary Masters.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
24 Apr. 2026
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In a video obtained by WBZ, Nguyen can be seen sitting on the side of the mountain as the wind whipped around him.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The rookie center fielder didn’t bother to hide his delight, jumping and shouting in celebration.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Carie Hallford was sentenced to 30 years for her role in a scheme that involved hiding nearly 200 decomposing bodies.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Although the state of emergency has slashed El Salvador’s homicide rate, authorities have arrested over 91,000 people, with human rights groups documenting thousands of wrongful detentions.—
Marcos Aleman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
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European airlines have already slashed short haul capacity for April and May, with the region’s ‘big three’ network carriers — Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, and IAG — also cutting transatlantic capacity, Bank of America analysis shows.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The main space includes a custom kitchen with an induction Verona stove, leathered granite counters and a large copper farmhouse sink.—
Kaitlyn Keegan,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
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Inside, the home features 10-foot coffered ceilings, white oak floors, and a kitchen with a La Cornue range and light leathered marble countertops.—
BusinessDen,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries lashed back at Leavitt.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
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Leo has not lashed out, or gotten defensive, or allowed himself to be pulled down into the gutter.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horsewhip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horsewhip. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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