as in to whip
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
some medieval monks believed it was necessary to flagellate themselves in order to keep their desires in check
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Recent Examples of flagellate
One Peruvian candidate has taken time to talk about his habit of wearing a wire chain, known as a cilice, every day to flagellate himself.
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Star Tribune, 8 Apr. 2021
All are said to have had affairs with Lucian Freud (was there anyone who didn’t?), three with Arthur Koestler and one with Egypt’s King Farouk (who liked to flagellate her on the steps of the royal palace with his dressing-gown cord).
—Moira Hodgson, WSJ, 31 Jan. 2020
Muslims were mobilizing; once, Mr. Rizvi visited during Muharram, an annual ritual of mourning, and found her surrounded by pilgrims, flagellating themselves with chains to which razor blades had been attached.
—Ellen Barry, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2019
Tech companies have self-flagellated a lot on these issues.
—Frank Bajak, SFChronicle.com, 14 Oct. 2019
See all Example Sentences for flagellate 
Star Tribune, 8 Apr. 2021
All are said to have had affairs with Lucian Freud (was there anyone who didn’t?), three with Arthur Koestler and one with Egypt’s King Farouk (who liked to flagellate her on the steps of the royal palace with his dressing-gown cord).
—Moira Hodgson, WSJ, 31 Jan. 2020
Muslims were mobilizing; once, Mr. Rizvi visited during Muharram, an annual ritual of mourning, and found her surrounded by pilgrims, flagellating themselves with chains to which razor blades had been attached.
—Ellen Barry, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2019
Tech companies have self-flagellated a lot on these issues.
—Frank Bajak, SFChronicle.com, 14 Oct. 2019
See all Example Sentences for flagellate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flagellate
Verb
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Available in 21 colors, the mixer has 10 speeds to knead, whip, and stir ingredients for bread, baked goods, pizza dough, and more.Kaitlin Gates, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Nov. 2024
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Thanks to dropping temperatures, whipping winds and spending more time indoors, your complexion can begin to experience chronic conditions that stay dominant in warmer months.Taylor Lane, Flow Space, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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But Kahane would always hide away in the bedroom, careful not to set a dangerous example for her child (who is now 23 and contributed an essay to her book) with her risky photography style.Oscar Holland, CNN, 28 Nov. 2024
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Three men accused of stealing more than 1,200 pairs of Air Jordans from a train in the Mojave Desert were foiled by a GPS tracker hidden inside the shipment, authorities said.Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
Verb
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President-elect Donald Trump has selected Vivek Ramaswamy, a former presidential candidate and Ohio native, to help lead a new initiative aimed at slashing government spending.Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 22 Nov. 2024
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Despite slashing prices on thousands of items and seeing a slight uptick in customer traffic, inflation-weary shoppers are holding back on purchases.Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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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
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In reality, Watson wasn’t a bar fighter or famous for horsewhipping cowboys.Eliza McGraw, Smithsonian, 12 Mar. 2018
Verb
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The Owl, the father figure, flies into rages, yelling and occasionally lashing out with a hand or foot.Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024
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Following his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump lashed out at ABC over the moderators' fact-checking efforts.David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Almost from the start, Dharavi was defined by its industries: from the traditional potters of Gujarat who began arriving in the late 1800s, to leather tanners from Tamil Nadu and embroidery workers from Uttar Pradesh.Jessie Yeung, CNN, 29 June 2024
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Look to leather knee-high pairs from Jimmy Choo, Isabel Marant, Khaite, and & Other Stories for a similar version of the model-off-duty style.Laura Jackson, Vogue, 15 Aug. 2022
Verb
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Conor flails about to form a band in order to impress her and win her heart.Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2024
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In Get Him to the Greek, the 2010 sequel to Forgetting Sarah Marshall produced by Judd Apatow, Russell Brand reprised his role as Aldous Snow, a British rockstar looking to revive his flailing career.Shyla Watson, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Some of these promotions are simply flogging pro-MAGA paraphernalia.David Gilbert, WIRED, 29 Nov. 2024
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One man from the Bajrang Dal holds him by the collar of his torn gray shirt while Premi flogs him with a belt, displaying no hesitation.Mohammad Ali, WIRED, 14 Apr. 2020
Thesaurus Entries Near flagellate
Cite this Entry
“Flagellate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flagellate. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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