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.
—
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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Eleven of his assists that season came from the right, and nine were whipped across in that fashion.—
Art de Roché,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
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Miller was struck in the temple, whipping his hat off his head.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Alongside Marvel movie veterans Wesley Snipes as Blade and Jennifer Garner as Elektra, Tatum plays Gambit as a hero hiding in The Void, waiting for his chance to strike at the sadistic Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin).—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
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Imani Randolph, a model and creator, recalls her mom’s upbringing in the Bronx where effort wasn’t hidden, it was celebrated.—
Daisy Maldonado,
Vogue,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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As the Trump administration slashes grants across the government, National Football League Alumni Inc. finds itself in a legal battle regarding a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant with the Georgia Department of Public Health.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
4 Mar. 2025
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Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has already slashed research programs, and the administration has laid off dozens of employees — actions that education advocates say amount to eliminating the department in all but name.—
Anna North,
Vox,
4 Mar. 2025
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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Even before that, Trump has lashed out at Ukraine, blaming its leaders for Putin’s invasion and occupation of their country.—
Joey Garrison,
USA TODAY,
3 Mar. 2025
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Teens are notorious for being unable to reconcile internal feelings of guilt and shame and, not knowing what to do with the discomfort, lashing out at an external source.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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News round-up Real Madrid set up El Clasico in Spain’s Supercopa by leathering Mallorca 3-0 last night.—
Phil Hay,
The Athletic,
10 Jan. 2025
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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
Verb
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Her backing was considered pivotal in reviving what had appeared to be a flailing nomination.—
Robert Faturechi,
ProPublica,
4 Mar. 2025
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Bichette missed a 2-2 fastball, Belt was caught looking on a 2-2 heater Guerrero flailed on a 3-2 pitch.—
Chuck Murr,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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That will likely be music to the ears of European clubs keen to flog players, but January showed a different side to the league’s approach in the sense that the big money no longer went on expensive, past-their-peak stars.—
Dan Sheldon,
The Athletic,
5 Feb. 2025
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Maybe Unify will end up as a hyper-realistic AI companion that looks like Florentino Perez, or an app that measures your level of hubris, like the one that tracks your steps, or a simulator that allows users to relieve stress by flogging dead horses.—
Rory Smith,
The Athletic,
18 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Flagellate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flagellate. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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