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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flail
Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
An employee scooped up the flailing fish with a sweatshirt before depositing it back in the display tank.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2025
But Trump’s victory marked a great triumph for the persecution narratives that his acolytes, Patel included, worked hard to construct since January 6th, which had been instrumental in resuscitating the flailing MAGA movement—and in boosting their own cultural profiles.
—Tess Owen, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2025
Kelce flailed backward and Phillips was called for a penalty.
—Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flail
Verb
The whistle would blow and the players would blow it and a season would flail and tumble towards a precipice.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
An employee scooped up the flailing fish with a sweatshirt before depositing it back in the display tank.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2025
But Trump’s victory marked a great triumph for the persecution narratives that his acolytes, Patel included, worked hard to construct since January 6th, which had been instrumental in resuscitating the flailing MAGA movement—and in boosting their own cultural profiles.
—Tess Owen, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2025
Kelce flailed backward and Phillips was called for a penalty.
—Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flail
Verb
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Two large, white bracts (structures surrounding the flower) flutter delicately in a light breeze, reminiscent of white birds, spirits, or tissues in a tree.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Feb. 2025
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Yellow blossoms on little-leaf green-twig shrubs attract local bees, and butterflies flutter in a mad dance around sprays of blue mistflower.—
Sunshine Flint,
AFAR Media,
13 Feb. 2025
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
Noun
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Related article Holocaust becomes political bludgeon as Netanyahu returns to a country at crossroads Dekel-Chen was 35 years old when he was kidnapped while trying to defend his Nir Oz from Hamas attackers.—
Dana Karni, Ibrahim Dahman and Nadeen Ebrahim,
CNN,
14 Feb. 2025
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This in turn opens up the music, changing it from a bludgeon to a balm.—
Stephen Kearse,
TIME,
8 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Instead, Sels rose and stumbled and flapped the ball into the roof of the net, marking another low point at St James’ for the former Newcastle goalkeeper.—
Chris Waugh,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
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There are also longer hinges that are better at handling stress from the flapping wings.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
22 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Sen both understood Oberon’s desire to hide a secret and recognized a trace of her South Asian accent.—
Carolyn Kellogg,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Feb. 2025
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The good news is that new data solutions are emerging to help businesses finally unlock the potential hidden within their data.—
Lalit Patil,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Medicaid cuts especially would create a cudgel for Democratic attacks on the bill — that Republicans are giving wealthy people and companies tax cuts to cut working-class peoples' health care.—
Neil Irwin,
Axios,
29 Jan. 2025
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The best way to convince someone of your own point-of-view is generally not to bash them over the head with a cudgel, though that seems to be the preferred approach in modern political discourse and, alas, in entertainment.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
31 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The most expensive contract that DOGE claims to have slashed is $8 billion to D&G Support Services LLC to provide services for the Office of Diversity and Civil Rights within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, starting in late 2022.—
Andre Tartar Bloomberg News (TNS),
arkansasonline.com,
20 Feb. 2025
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Beyond the ability to reap new rewards, going digital with cards ramps up security, slashes cash dependency and boosts financial transparency.—
Forbes,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
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In covert gatherings across California, raw goat or cow milk is mixed with cane alcohol and sugars to make pajaretes.—
Ryan Fonseca,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Feb. 2025
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But you cane experience a bit of Turner and Constable’s London by making a visit to the Royal Academy of Arts, where both artists studied, although Turner earned the Academy’s prestigious designation of Royal Academician in 1802; Constable was elected years later in 1829.—
Catherine Sabino,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
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