as in self-annihilation
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Recent Examples of self-flagellation
Rublev, 27 and the men’s world No. 9, is prone to fits of self-flagellation — often hammering at his body with his racket.
—
Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
The self-flagellation is uncomfortable and dark, and the instrumental’s whorl of warped voices, sax melodies, and bass lines intensifies the feeling that he is trapped within his choices.
17.
—Stephen Kearse, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
That leads to the kind of regret and self-flagellation in your letter, and the spiral begins anew.
—Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2025
Peasant sects promoted exotic beliefs and practices, including anti-materialism, self-flagellation, and self-castration.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
A little self-flagellation can be fun, but a Goofus-and-Gallant dynamic develops between Simone and Gigi that unbalances the drama.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024
Some of the attendees catch on and quickly bolt, but there’s still a small group left when Walsh pulls out a box of whips and paddles so that people can engage in self-flagellation.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
At launch, there are two online multiplayer modes that ratchet up the competitive spirit beyond basic self-flagellation.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2024
In Trump’s fateful moment, all his endless self-flagellation about how strong and tough he is consolidated into a single iconic image that goes far beyond capturing everything that he’s ever said about his own courage.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2024
Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
The self-flagellation is uncomfortable and dark, and the instrumental’s whorl of warped voices, sax melodies, and bass lines intensifies the feeling that he is trapped within his choices.
17.
—Stephen Kearse, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
That leads to the kind of regret and self-flagellation in your letter, and the spiral begins anew.
—Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2025
Peasant sects promoted exotic beliefs and practices, including anti-materialism, self-flagellation, and self-castration.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
A little self-flagellation can be fun, but a Goofus-and-Gallant dynamic develops between Simone and Gigi that unbalances the drama.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024
Some of the attendees catch on and quickly bolt, but there’s still a small group left when Walsh pulls out a box of whips and paddles so that people can engage in self-flagellation.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
At launch, there are two online multiplayer modes that ratchet up the competitive spirit beyond basic self-flagellation.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2024
In Trump’s fateful moment, all his endless self-flagellation about how strong and tough he is consolidated into a single iconic image that goes far beyond capturing everything that he’s ever said about his own courage.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-flagellation
Noun
-
The clock, which is updated by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, is meant to be a metaphor for how close humanity is to self-annihilation.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA TODAY,
29 Jan. 2025
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The image becomes metabolized by the fungus in a process of self-annihilation and, like the memory itself, given a new kind of presence through its decay.—
Mariana Fernández,
ARTnews.com,
18 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Pryor, though, largely lost his bite after his self-immolation, which the film (and later Pryor’s family) characterized as a suicide attempt.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Jan. 2025
-
Officials would not confirm whether the self-immolation was an act of protest.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American-Statesman,
22 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
The actress has also been honored for her altruism at previous Global Gift Galas.—
Hannah Malach,
WWD,
24 Feb. 2025
-
The series takes the indelible line about the great responsibility that comes with great power and uses it to compare Spider-Man’s idealistic Boy Scout altruism to the goals of other characters who are good guys in their own minds, if not within the moral rubric of the show.—
Daniel Fienberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
29 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Even the wealthy mother, Hope Clinch, cannot control the monstrous possibilities of birth; the intelligent mother, Kath Talent, is broken in her turn by the self-sacrifice required for the preservation of innocence.—
Rachel Cusk,
Harper's Magazine,
19 Feb. 2025
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His return to Russia in 2021 with the knowledge that he would be imprisoned without hope of release marked his shift from political activism to the highest form of self-sacrifice.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
As Trump’s second term commences, this magnanimity may be at stake.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
-
That level of humility and magnanimity would go a long way these days.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
Fox News,
7 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Inspired by the Bedouin tradition of generosity, which involves welcoming guests with food, drink, and open hospitality, Killa sought to evoke the feeling of being invited into a private home or aboard a luxurious yacht.—
Katharina Kotrba,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
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But, the most remarkable outpouring of generosity has come from the workers themselves, engaging in collective action to assist their colleagues.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
1 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-flagellation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-flagellation. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
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