: 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
Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2025
Domi lined up Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov from behind just as the final buzzer was sounding on Sunday’s 2-0 loss and sent him flailing into the boards from a vulnerable position, kicking off a scrum that could reverberate back to Toronto for Game 5 of this second-round series.
—Chris Johnston, New York Times, 12 May 2025
Horton executed the pitch perfectly, getting Soto to flail at the changeup out of the zone down and away.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2025
Egypt also relies on Sudanese resources—often smuggled—to help prop up its flailing economy.
—Mai Hassan, Foreign Affairs, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flail
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Verb
Royals World Series legends join Savannah Bananas at The K
Here are more notable aspects of Saturday’s game:
Royals flail at the plate
The Royals needed the heroic efforts of Pasquantino and Perez on Saturday.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2025
Domi lined up Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov from behind just as the final buzzer was sounding on Sunday’s 2-0 loss and sent him flailing into the boards from a vulnerable position, kicking off a scrum that could reverberate back to Toronto for Game 5 of this second-round series.
—Chris Johnston, New York Times, 12 May 2025
Horton executed the pitch perfectly, getting Soto to flail at the changeup out of the zone down and away.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2025
Egypt also relies on Sudanese resources—often smuggled—to help prop up its flailing economy.
—Mai Hassan, Foreign Affairs, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flail
Cite this Entry
“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flail. Accessed 31 May. 2025.
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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