: 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
Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
An employee scooped up the flailing fish with a sweatshirt before depositing it back in the display tank.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2025
But Trump’s victory marked a great triumph for the persecution narratives that his acolytes, Patel included, worked hard to construct since January 6th, which had been instrumental in resuscitating the flailing MAGA movement—and in boosting their own cultural profiles.
—Tess Owen, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2025
Kelce flailed backward and Phillips was called for a penalty.
—Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 28 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for flail 
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Verb
The whistle would blow and the players would blow it and a season would flail and tumble towards a precipice.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
An employee scooped up the flailing fish with a sweatshirt before depositing it back in the display tank.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2025
But Trump’s victory marked a great triumph for the persecution narratives that his acolytes, Patel included, worked hard to construct since January 6th, which had been instrumental in resuscitating the flailing MAGA movement—and in boosting their own cultural profiles.
—Tess Owen, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2025
Kelce flailed backward and Phillips was called for a penalty.
—Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 28 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 14 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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