horsewhipping

verb

present participle of horsewhip
as in whipping
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible the pirate captain threatened to horsewhip any of his crew who questioned his orders

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for horsewhipping
  1. whipping
  2. hiding
  3. slashing
  4. lashing
  5. flagellating
  6. flicking
Verb
  • The attorney questioned whether a person would be able to smell alcohol at the same time that wind generated by 18-wheelers and other vehicles whipping by on the highway was blowing, as was occurring during the officer’s time with Hampton.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
  • Zeus and Poseidon are at it again—one hurling thunderbolts, the other whipping the sea into a frenzy.
    — Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
Definition of whipping
Verb
  • General Daily Insight for July 26, 2026 A slower pace could reveal what pressure has been hiding.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
  • These protections are meant to catch a model that’s acting deceptively, hiding its true capabilities, or otherwise working against what its developers intended.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 25 July 2026
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • Hochul is speeding public sector hiring to provide government services more effectively, while Mamdani is slashing red tape for small businesses to help working people thrive.
    — Ryder Kessler, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
  • Related Articles Now, Adidas is getting ready to turn its attention to fall, but not before slashing prices on some of its top footwear, clothing and accessories online.
    — Tim Chan, Footwear News, 25 July 2026
Definition of slashing
Verb
  • Relentless rains were lashing Texas Hill Country on Thursday, with flash flood emergencies reported across the region, rescues ongoing and waters rising to deadly levels.
    — Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 16 July 2026
  • Julian Quinones — Mexico/Al Qadsiah (-7) Quinones took his World Cup goal tally to four by lashing a loose ball into the roof of the net against England.
    — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of lashing
Verb
  • Some go further, flagellating themselves or using a sword to strike their forehead to draw blood.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2026
  • His only way of finding any kind of life for himself is to embrace evil, to stop running away from it, to try to stop morally flagellating himself.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 Feb. 2026
Definition of flagellating
Verb
  • His violent men — Scott’s sinister dad and Melton’s sad one — light cigarettes by flicking matches on their ears and teeth.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
  • France trailed 4-0 before Mbappé sparked a comeback attempt, flicking the ball past goalkeeper Dean Henderson in the 48th minute before adding a second with a left-footed finish from about 14 yards in the 66th.
    — Mark Hodge, NBC news, 20 July 2026
Definition of flicking
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

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horsewhipping
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Cite this Entry

“Horsewhipping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horsewhipping. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on horsewhipping

Nglish: Translation of horsewhipping for Spanish Speakers

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