: 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
Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025
In their first meeting, Peguero blew a high fastball past Adames; in their second encounter, Peguero got Adames to whiff through another heater and flail at a slider low-and-away.
—Justice Delos Santos, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2025
Relationships can feel a bit like flailing around in the dark.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2025
Zubac was visibly upset on the previous play, flailing his arms after no foul was called when he was blocked by Wembanyama.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for flail 
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Verb
Video captured by Robert Hayes and obtained by PEOPLE shows the long and bright-colored fish flailing in the water.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025
In their first meeting, Peguero blew a high fastball past Adames; in their second encounter, Peguero got Adames to whiff through another heater and flail at a slider low-and-away.
—Justice Delos Santos, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2025
Relationships can feel a bit like flailing around in the dark.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2025
Zubac was visibly upset on the previous play, flailing his arms after no foul was called when he was blocked by Wembanyama.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for flail
Dictionary Entries Near flail
Cite this Entry
“Flail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flail. Accessed 26 Feb. 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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