Thesaurus results for FLAIL

flail 1 of 2

verb

Definition of flail

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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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

flail

2 of 2

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 flail

Verb

While the Yankees are often criticized for being too analytical, tabbing Cole goes against the numbers, as Tampa’s lineup has flailed against southpaws all season. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 2026 The radical group believes that sacrificing three people is the key to saving humanity — when all Tyler wants to do is save his flailing acting career. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2026 Their good fortune is picking up speed, as the increasingly sclerotic and daft president furiously flails. — Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026 So, why now, halfway through the first take of the shoot, was Axl flailing his arm like a windmill with his jacket hurling around through space like a lasso? — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flail

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flail

Verb

The big night As a photographer’s shutter clicks, Folger flutters a mascara wand over her lashes while preparing for opening night at the Elysian.

— Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
To achieve that fluttering action, the material in these baits is very soft.

— Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of flutter

Verb

Fire crews scrambled late Saturday as fierce winds whipped flames beyond Canadian Forces Base Wainwright and into the surrounding rural area.

— Rob Gillies, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Fire crews scrambled late into the night as fierce winds whipped flames beyond Canadian Forces Base Wainwright and into the surrounding rural area.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of whip

Verb

Birds chirp in the tree branches above, and a large yellow butterfly alights on a leaf before flapping away into the sloping sunshine.

— Sophie Neiman, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026
That means the bird species flapping around in backyards today are effectively the only surviving dinosaurs.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of flap

Verb

Working in quick, gentle strokes, Abrams used her brush and sprayer to peel away dirt hiding the floral details on Eliza’s grave before moving to the next.

— Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
The subsequent furor is about hiding it from the public and about a brazen plea to keep the Democratic Party and three of its candidates from advertising those facts.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of hide

Noun

By the late 1800s, Thonet had added child-size cane seating and high chairs to its catalog.

— Steven Weill, Architectural Digest, 22 Oct. 2026
Before he was dragged, Boahene was seen on the train car’s security cameras with a cane and a blue plastic bag, moving unsteadily toward the door after the train stopped at Utica Ave.

— Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of cane

Verb

Butner slashed $30,000 off his asking price, but that generated only one offer, which fell through.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
The bill slashed Medicaid funding by $1 trillion over the next 10 years, in part through new work and eligibility requirements.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of slash

Noun

And even when everyone is behaving legally, teams sometimes use the opportunity as a cudgel in salary negotiations with employees.

— Stephanie Apstein, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2026
Many Muslim-Americans feel as though their faith is being used as a cudgel against them in a political world that sometimes treats Muslim candidates as outsiders, rather than citizens.

— Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of cudgel

Browse Nearby Words

flag-wavers

flail

flailed

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Style

“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of flail

verb

noun

Example Sentences

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