: a hand threshing implement consisting of a wooden handle at the end of which a stouter and shorter stick is so hung as to swing freely
flailed; flailing; flails
1
a
: to strike with or as if with a flail
The bird's wings flailed the water.
b
: to move, swing, or beat as if wielding a flail
flailing a club to drive away the insects
2
: to thresh (grain) with a flail
: to move, swing, or beat like a flail
arms flailing in the water
Examples of flail in a Sentence
Verb
They were flailing their arms to drive away the insects.
The wounded animal lay on the ground, flailing helplessly.
He was wildly flailing about on the dance floor.
The bird's wings flailed the water.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lee Hockstader, Washington Post, 1 July 2024
Achiuwa picked up three fouls in 10 minutes, then flailed his arms in disbelief.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 14 June 2024
One where his face contorts with unadulterated frustration with his arms all flailed out over a teammate’s incompetence.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2024
The previous movie in the series, The Exorcist: Believer, flailed with just $65.5M U.S./Canada and $136.2M worldwide.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 18 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for flail 
Verb
Opinion The West’s self-deception on Ukraine should not extend to Hungary’s Orban
Opinion
A migrant surge is driving Europe to the right — and centrists are flailing
Opinion
The far right keeps rising.
—Lee Hockstader, Washington Post, 1 July 2024
Achiuwa picked up three fouls in 10 minutes, then flailed his arms in disbelief.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 14 June 2024
One where his face contorts with unadulterated frustration with his arms all flailed out over a teammate’s incompetence.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2024
The previous movie in the series, The Exorcist: Believer, flailed with just $65.5M U.S./Canada and $136.2M worldwide.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 18 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for flail
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near flail
Cite this Entry
“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flail. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
flail
1 of 2 noun
: a tool for threshing grain by hand
flail
2 of 2 verb1
: to strike with or as if with a flail
2
: to move or wave about as if swinging a flail
flailed their arms
Medical Definition
flail
adjective
: exhibiting abnormal mobility and loss of response to normal controls
—used of body parts damaged by paralysis, injury, or surgery
flail joint
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