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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
Elle was also seen whipping her hands in a circle to the music during the awards ceremony.Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
-
That led to an argument, and Little allegedly whipped out a knife, stabbing the victim twice in the chest, police said.Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
At the time, wolves were still considered predatory varmints to be shot from airplanes, trapped and snared for $100 bounty and whatever hides would bring.Al Wolter, Outdoor Life, 10 Jan. 2025
-
Set in a swanky apartment hidden above a cobblestone street, this intimate cooking class teaches you both the simplicity and complexity of Italian pasta.Anna Haines, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
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
-
In reality, Watson wasn’t a bar fighter or famous for horsewhipping cowboys.Eliza McGraw, Smithsonian, 12 Mar. 2018
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Look to leather knee-high pairs from Jimmy Choo, Isabel Marant, Khaite, and & Other Stories for a similar version of the model-off-duty style.Laura Jackson, Vogue, 15 Aug. 2022
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof has been sentenced by the Islamic Revolutionary Court to eight years in prison, flogging, and confiscation of property.Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 13 May 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near flagellate
Cite this Entry
“Flagellate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flagellate. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share