as in to whip
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
some medieval monks believed it was necessary to flagellate themselves in order to keep their desires in check
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Recent Examples of flagellate
One Peruvian candidate has taken time to talk about his habit of wearing a wire chain, known as a cilice, every day to flagellate himself.
—
Star Tribune, 8 Apr. 2021
All are said to have had affairs with Lucian Freud (was there anyone who didn’t?), three with Arthur Koestler and one with Egypt’s King Farouk (who liked to flagellate her on the steps of the royal palace with his dressing-gown cord).
—Moira Hodgson, WSJ, 31 Jan. 2020
Muslims were mobilizing; once, Mr. Rizvi visited during Muharram, an annual ritual of mourning, and found her surrounded by pilgrims, flagellating themselves with chains to which razor blades had been attached.
—Ellen Barry, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2019
Tech companies have self-flagellated a lot on these issues.
—Frank Bajak, SFChronicle.com, 14 Oct. 2019
See all Example Sentences for flagellate 
Star Tribune, 8 Apr. 2021
All are said to have had affairs with Lucian Freud (was there anyone who didn’t?), three with Arthur Koestler and one with Egypt’s King Farouk (who liked to flagellate her on the steps of the royal palace with his dressing-gown cord).
—Moira Hodgson, WSJ, 31 Jan. 2020
Muslims were mobilizing; once, Mr. Rizvi visited during Muharram, an annual ritual of mourning, and found her surrounded by pilgrims, flagellating themselves with chains to which razor blades had been attached.
—Ellen Barry, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2019
Tech companies have self-flagellated a lot on these issues.
—Frank Bajak, SFChronicle.com, 14 Oct. 2019
See all Example Sentences for flagellate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flagellate
Verb
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Today infernos whipped by a perfect storm of high winds and drought conditions hit the Western edges of the United States especially hard.—
Jennifer Jolly,
USA TODAY,
17 Jan. 2025
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As the fire came closer, whipped by strong winds barreling down the mountains, no ambulance appeared.—
Claire Fahy,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Asked about his identity and to provide authorization, Deng tried to hide his equipment and flee, prompting the officials to take him and his companions into custody.—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
22 Jan. 2025
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When Hamas chose to go to ground inside Gaza and hide among its people, Israel followed it down, leveling the territory and its population to get at its enemy.—
Gideon Rose,
Foreign Affairs,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The policymakers slashed rates by 0.5 percentage points in September, followed by a 0.25 percentage point drop in November.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
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But with Trump returning for a second term, there’s a particular worry among some longtime government staffers about the president-elect’s fixation on loyalty, his desire to push the bounds of presidential authority and how his team might seek to slash the workforce.—
Brett Samuels,
The Hill,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Speccie’s star columnist is the rudest man in Christendom, the Godzilla of contumely, an all-time non-sufferer of fools who horsewhips his targets the way Hunter S. Thompson and Christopher Hitchens once did.—
Kyle Smith,
National Review,
23 Apr. 2020
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In reality, Watson wasn’t a bar fighter or famous for horsewhipping cowboys.—
Eliza McGraw,
Smithsonian,
12 Mar. 2018
Verb
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Trump himself has lashed out at Newsom a number of times over the issue and has ignored a request from the governor to visit the area.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
14 Jan. 2025
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Spencer is appropriately freaked out and lashing out at just about everyone, though Bobby does offer him a potential suspect in Rafael Campos, the head of the Los Tigres cartel who is currently in prison thanks in part to Captain Spencer and Judge Powell.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2025
Verb
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News round-up Real Madrid set up El Clasico in Spain’s Supercopa by leathering Mallorca 3-0 last night.—
Phil Hay,
The Athletic,
10 Jan. 2025
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Almost from the start, Dharavi was defined by its industries: from the traditional potters of Gujarat who began arriving in the late 1800s, to leather tanners from Tamil Nadu and embroidery workers from Uttar Pradesh.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN,
29 June 2024
Verb
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Their respective outies, who remain siloed off and unaware of one another, are flailing too, just as discombobulated by the slivers of information that have come to light about their innies.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Jan. 2025
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As Will periodically rode by on a Segway to monitor his work—Segways were for closers on Seal Team Six—Colvin flailed in his efforts to charm the residents of St. Cloud.—
Brendan I. Koerner,
WIRED,
13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Any amount of time spent flogging the Vantage in the hills of Malibu, either on a weekday lunch break or a Sunday cruise, provided the real peaks of my time with the loaner.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes,
29 Dec. 2024
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As last year ended, the financial media mostly flogged the familiar Goldilocks theme—conditions are not too hot and not too cold.—
Greg Petro,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near flagellate
Cite this Entry
“Flagellate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flagellate. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
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