paddling 1 of 2

noun

as in whipping

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

paddling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of paddle
1
as in kayaking
to move a boat by means of oars I like to paddle on the river for exercise and relaxation

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in licking
to strike repeatedly back in those times it was acceptable for teachers to paddle misbehaving students

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of paddling
Noun
Guadalupe River State Park entices visitors with its cool waters for tubing, paddling, and swimming and family-friendly campgrounds. — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 16 July 2026 Several private schools in Ohio and Virginia permit paddling as discipline even though those states outlaw corporal punishment in public schools. — Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 16 July 2026 The clinics include water knowledge and hazards, dry land drills and games, water skills and drills, prone paddling on rescue boards, water rescue drills and relays. — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland The Assateague Island National Seashore is just south of Ocean City, offering 37 miles of beaches for crabbing, biking, paddling, and more. — Andrea Romano, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2026 Open paddling and beach use are available for the duration of the event. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026 In response, the paddlers near the front of the canoe momentarily pause their paddling and squeal as the sea lion splashes them. — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026 Escape to Shawnee National Forest for a serene cabin weekend of hiking, paddling, and wineries. — Jess Hoffert, Midwest Living, 15 May 2026
Verb
The clip appears to show a woman wearing a pink swimsuit paddling a kayak and petting an alligator at Silver Springs State Park in Marion County. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 10 July 2026 This finding proved that, at least in robotics, a foot-paddling maneuver is completely unnecessary for liftoff. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026 There’s plenty to do here, including paddling the Crystal River or browsing art galleries. — Stacy Conde, Midwest Living, 9 July 2026 Today, the lesson will be more about handling the board, paddling and reading the ocean. — Heather Hiett, Mercury News, 6 July 2026 Cradled in her arms, the newborn suckles eagerly, its tiny paws paddling the air with every gulp. — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 5 July 2026 Others have packed it on paddling excursions, long hikes, bike rides, and motorcycle road trips. — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026 She was pictured paddling in a kayak and playing beach volleyball with her fiancé Danny Fujikawa and their daughter Rani. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 27 June 2026 Calm on the surface, paddling like hell underneath. — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paddling
  1. whipping
  2. kayaking
  3. licking
  4. thrashing
  5. rowing
  6. lashing
  7. flogging
  8. pounding
Noun
  • Self-mortifying pamagdarame rituals, including whipping and crucifixion, likewise have roots in medieval Christian tradition.
    — H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 10 July 2026
  • They could also be seen transporting French fries, thick-cut onion rings, red and orange peppers, romaine and other produce, eggs, heavy whipping cream and whole milk.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
Definition of whipping
Verb
  • Michael Aiden Vargas, 18, of Crestview was kayaking in the Blackwater River when he was struck by lightning and fell from his kayak around noon on May 31, WKRG, Wiregrass Daily News and Fox 10 TV reported, citing the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
  • Like going to Tahoe and kayaking in the two person kayak is like, that's like part of it.
    — Outside Online, Outside Online, 30 July 2025
Definition of kayaking
Verb
  • Some of the flames come close to licking the glass, as the wildfire blows across the tracks.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 15 July 2026
  • Signs paws have already been burned include limping, refusing to walk, licking or chewing feet, darker or damaged pads and visible blisters or redness.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
Definition of licking
Noun
  • The Blågult had started so well, mind you, with a 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
  • Jonathan David had a hat trick in last Thursday’s 6-0 thrashing of Qatar.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 24 June 2026
Definition of thrashing
Verb
  • Googling his name on Thursday, two days out from the semi-final, even brought a special drumbeat and Norwegian emojis rowing across the screen.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 10 July 2026
  • The transmission is actually connected to the engine, which means that rowing through the gears is real and not simulated unlike with another of this week’s big debuts.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 8 July 2026
Definition of rowing
Verb
  • Under pressure, Fiji conceded 12 penalties — nine by halftime — and a red card to scrumhalf Simione Kuruvoli for lashing out with his boot into the stomach of Ellis Genge.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
  • In October 2020, Burnham happened to be holding a news conference on live TV, when an aide passed him a phone with news of another lockdown — and the mayor reacted angrily, lashing out at the central government.
    — Lauren Frayer, NPR, 9 July 2026
Definition of lashing
Noun
  • In October 2008, Greenspan underwent an hourslong public flogging on Capitol Hill from lawmakers who once hung on every word the former Fed chairman had to say.
    — Barbara Hagenbaugh, USA Today, 22 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of flogging
Verb
  • Saturday’s match was missing the loud Latin passion and party atmosphere that South American teams’ fans would have brought; the near-constant singing and chanting to a steady pounding drumbeat.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 12 July 2026
  • The drums began pounding; the rain started to beat down even harder.
    — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
Definition of pounding

Browse Nearby Words

paddles
paddling
padre
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paddling. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on paddling

Nglish: Translation of paddling for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All