: 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
Shyla Watson, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
The expectation that hosts will participate in the sketches after an opening monologue has saved countless guests from flailing like Carlin did.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024
That’s all backed up by the most agile chassis in the class, capable of whisking the X3 through escape routes the others would flail to reach.
—Michael Taylor, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
On the morning of May 13, she was roused by his flailing limbs.
—Max Blau, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for flail 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Verb
In Get Him to the Greek, the 2010 sequel to Forgetting Sarah Marshall produced by Judd Apatow, Russell Brand reprised his role as Aldous Snow, a British rockstar looking to revive his flailing career.
—Shyla Watson, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
The expectation that hosts will participate in the sketches after an opening monologue has saved countless guests from flailing like Carlin did.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024
That’s all backed up by the most agile chassis in the class, capable of whisking the X3 through escape routes the others would flail to reach.
—Michael Taylor, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
On the morning of May 13, she was roused by his flailing limbs.
—Max Blau, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2024
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 14 Nov. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share