1
as in to flutter
to move or cause to move with a striking motion
started to flail his arms wildly when he spied a bat in the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to whip
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
gruesome evidence that the prisoner had been flailed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of flail
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
The chaos allows a Triarchy ship to harpoon Jace's dragon, Vermax, dragging the flailing creature down into the ocean, along with Rhaenyra's heir.
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Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 June 2026
Reese and the Dream played Indiana on Thursday as well, where Reese was caught mocking Clark by flailing around during the stoppage in play.
—
Jon Root Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2026
The keeper could do nothing but flail and then turn and scream in frustration at his defense’s failings at the crucial moment.
—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for flail
Verb
Their final side battle was ferocious and flailing.
—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
The chaos allows a Triarchy ship to harpoon Jace's dragon, Vermax, dragging the flailing creature down into the ocean, along with Rhaenyra's heir.
—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 June 2026
Reese and the Dream played Indiana on Thursday as well, where Reese was caught mocking Clark by flailing around during the stoppage in play.
—
Jon Root Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2026
The keeper could do nothing but flail and then turn and scream in frustration at his defense’s failings at the crucial moment.
—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for flail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flail
Verb
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But Curls Ultra aren’t solely interested in resurrecting the mysticism of the past or indulging in the parties of the present, the occasional fluttering flute solo or boisterous sax line notwithstanding.
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Red, black and gold flags are flying from car bonnets and fluttering on balconies, especially on matchdays.
Verb
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Scotland carried the ball for 13 phases to enter Argentina's 22 and Hutchinson whipped an accurate long pass to Tuipulotu on the right wing who scored untouched.
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Olise kept his intentions hidden to the last, shaping up to cross the ball to the back post before sharply turning his hips and whipping his pass into the goalscorer’s path, breaking two defensive lines along the way.
Noun
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Iran practices honest bludgeon work.
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But Beshear hasn’t turned Trump-bashing into a 24/7 vocation, or a weight-lifting contest where the winner is the critic wielding the heaviest bludgeon.
Verb
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Video from the group's livestream showed Luna flapping his wings on a branch before taking off.
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Moist towels soothe necks, mist bottles spray short relief, hand fans flap in overdrive; motorized fans are held up to strangers at cafés, who have resorted to pouring water directly on their chests for cooling.
Verb
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For loungability there’s a king bed, a hide-a-bed sofa, a fireplace and theater seats.
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When Fluffy failed to come out of hiding after 24 hours, Melissa Kirby and her husband began making and posting missing cat posters around their neighborhood.
Noun
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Aceh’s Sharia court ordered the two people to be whipped with a rattan cane 21 times each for kissing without being married.
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Snappers, snakes, toy pistols with caps and toy canes with caps are the only fireworks allowed.
Verb
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The most recent controversy came in January, when the county paid $135,000 to settle a lawsuit that accused Kramer of improperly slashing a property’s value by millions of dollars — then retaliating against the employee who raised alarms about it.
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Last year, the charity Oxfam noted that G7 countries, which collectively account for around 75% of all official development assistance, were set to slash their aid spending by 28% in 2026 compared to 2024 levels.
Noun
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The sports question has become a political cudgel for Republicans with an eye on growing divisions among Democrats over stances on certain transgender issues that polls show are unpopular with a majority of voters.
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The measure’s main backer is the SEIU United Health Workers West, whose president, Dave Regan, has a long track record of using ballot measures as a cudgel to win concessions from labor adversaries.
Cite this Entry
“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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