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
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of flail
Max Blau, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2024
Throughout the movie’s last act, Madison flails around with a knife and gets her eyes cut out by a can of dog food before getting set on fire and thrown into a pool.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 25 Oct. 2024
There’s no evidence, however, that the recipients read the e-mails; Biden flailed in any case.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
Some may conclude that Donald Trump’s recent conspiratorial demonizing of Democrats, immigrants, Jews, the children of judges across parties, devoted FEMA relief workers, and even wounded U.S. soldiers is evidence of the desperation of a flailing candidate.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for flail 
Verb
On the morning of May 13, she was roused by his flailing limbs.
—Max Blau, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2024
Throughout the movie’s last act, Madison flails around with a knife and gets her eyes cut out by a can of dog food before getting set on fire and thrown into a pool.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 25 Oct. 2024
There’s no evidence, however, that the recipients read the e-mails; Biden flailed in any case.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
Some may conclude that Donald Trump’s recent conspiratorial demonizing of Democrats, immigrants, Jews, the children of judges across parties, devoted FEMA relief workers, and even wounded U.S. soldiers is evidence of the desperation of a flailing candidate.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for flail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flail
Verb
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My heart was fluttering strongly on and off for about four hours.Scott Kramer, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
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This is key, as stripers often stun their prey then swing around and gobble up the dead and dying bunker fluttering to the bottom.Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 17 Oct. 2024
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
Noun
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Conservatives have had it in for Chevron deference for a long time; given their current majority on the court, the doctrine’s death has been a foregone conclusion, awaiting only the appearance of a suitable case to use as a bludgeon.Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2024
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Pesticides can be valuable tools when used as scalpels, but when they are used as bludgeons, the evolution of resistance often undoes their efficacy.Frances Beinecke, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2012
Verb
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Using a pair of Joy-Con controllers (the gyroscope-enabled snap-on bits of a Nintendo Switch), players must physically flap their arms to ascend and tilt the controllers to steer.Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2024
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His bioluminescent wings seemed to have been caught flapping in this beat between time.Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The Super Bowl contender hiding in plain sight Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract in early 2019 in what was a record deal at the time.David K. Li, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
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But Bill Belichick has nothing in particular to offer when journalists ask about coaches hiding the effects of the disease.Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
Noun
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General sentiment on social media also seems positive, with negativity almost entirely centered on one particular plotline involving a non-binary character, now being used as a culture war cudgel.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
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Russia, too, has used immigration as a cudgel in its propaganda in Europe, amplifying incidents and protests, including the recent unrest in Britain, through its state media and covert bot networks.Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 10 Aug. 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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Although Oz has not revealed his views on Medicaid, some Republicans in Congress have expressed support for changes that would slash the budget of the program.Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Her chief cargo was rattan canes, from the island of Sumatra.Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
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Upon hearing the speech, South Carolina representative Preston Brooks used his cane to beat Sumner into unconsciousness.Blake D. Morant, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near flail
Cite this Entry
“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flail. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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