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
Relevance
2
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
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
David Goldman, CNN Money, 29 Dec. 2025
Premiums are poised to rise next year as the party flails on whether to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 16 Dec. 2025
The 16-year-old flails her arms, thrashes and kicks — sometimes for hours.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
Steering a flailing economy, presiding over Central America's highest homicide rate, and tolerating corruption in her own ranks Her party’s candidate, once the front-runner, trails in a distant third at 19 percent.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flail
Verb
The Fed is widely expected to hold rates steady until the middle of 2026 in order to support a flailing labor market.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for flail
Verb
-
Consisting of wispy layers that create soft movement, akin to fluttering butterfly wings, the cut is a popular option for cascading long lengths.—
-
With 10 minutes to spare before a rally at the intersection of 45th Street and Lamar Boulevard, at least 50 protesters were already showing up with drums, saxophones, homemade signs and fluttering American flags to protest ICE's killing of 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good.—
Verb
-
There were some frightening moments early Monday for a Miramar man after police say he was pistol whipped during a home invasion and his French bulldog was stolen.—
-
Or whips around his defender in a bold pirouette.—
Noun
-
But in the months leading up to the vote, the topic increasingly turned into a political bludgeon and partisan blame game.—
-
Antiquated federal bureaucracy, bewildering jurisdictional rules and burdensome state taxation bludgeon the spirit of enterprise on tribal lands.—
Verb
-
A little way down the bank, a hoatzin flapped awkwardly in dense foliage.—
-
Their wings, a bit weighted down by water, flapped as the float rolled.—
Verb
-
Still seething after a sloppy 19-16 loss to the Detroit Lions, Johnson wasn’t hiding his dissatisfaction with a defeat that seemed to diminish his team’s momentum.—
-
But the jury in the federal civil lawsuit found that Moore violated Gillispie's rights by hiding evidence that would have helped Gillispie's defense and creating unfair lineup procedures for the victims.—
Noun
-
Of course, Philly’s historic cobblestone streets, narrow alleyways and uneven sidewalks aren’t wheelchair- or cane-friendly, and are a challenge for people with mobility limitations.—
-
In videos widely shared to social media, Joel is seen looking thin, walking on stage with the help of a cane, a sign of his condition, a neurological disorder called Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.—
Verb
-
Major airlines have announced further cancellations to hundreds of flights scheduled through the weekend after more than 1,000 were slashed on Friday.—
-
Fiserv’s crash came after the compan y slashed its full-year guidance and announced several changes to its executive leadership team.—
Noun
-
Trump has wielded them like a cudgel to get better trade deals with other countries.—
-
Likability can be a cudgel against female characters, and, thanks to Girls, Konner is used to dealing with questions on that subject.—
Cite this Entry
“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share