thrash
Americanverb (used with object)
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thrashes,
present (3rd person singular)
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thrashed,
past participle, past
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thrashing
present participle
verb (used without object)
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thrashes,
present (3rd person singular)
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thrashed,
past participle, past
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thrashing
present participle
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to toss, or plunge about.
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Nautical. to make way against the wind, tide, etc.; beat.
noun
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an act or instance of thrashing; beating; blow.
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Swimming. the upward and downward movement of the legs, as in the crawl.
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British Slang. a party, usually with drinks.
verb phrase
verb
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(tr) to beat soundly, as with a whip or stick
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(tr) to defeat totally; overwhelm
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(intr) to beat or plunge about in a wild manner
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(intr) to move the legs up and down in the water, as in certain swimming strokes
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to sail (a boat) against the wind or tide or (of a boat) to sail in this way
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another word for thresh
noun
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the act of thrashing; blow; beating
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informal a party or similar social gathering
Synonym Usage
See beat.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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thrashsimple
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thrashessimple
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have thrashedperfect
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has thrashedperfect
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am thrashingprogressive
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are thrashingprogressive
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is thrashingprogressive
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have been thrashingperfect progressive
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has been thrashingperfect progressive
Past
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thrashedsimple
-
had thrashedperfect
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was thrashingprogressive
-
were thrashingprogressive
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had been thrashingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of thrash
before 900; Middle English thrasshen, variant of thresshen to thresh
Explanation
When you thrash someone, you beat them — literally, with your fists, or figuratively, by winning a game or competition. You can describe your game plan for a chess match this way: "I plan to thrash that show-off in just ten moves." You can also threaten to physically thrash someone, like a neighborhood bully who's been known to thrash much smaller kids. Thrash was originally a sixteenth-century variation on the word thresh, which means to separate grain from wheat or another plant by beating it.
Vocabulary lists containing thrash
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Blending thrash metal, alternative rock, punk, and Armenian musical influences, “Toxicity” expanded the sound System of a Down had established on its debut without sacrificing the band’s identity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
After beating Glossop North End 2-0 in 2009 in front of 12,200 supporters, Whitley Bay returned a year later to thrash Wroxham 6-1.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
At the sound of the great drum break, we were to thrash about the locker room.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
German auto giant Volkswagen's management meet Thursday to thrash out plans for what could be the biggest ever restructuring in the global auto industry, with unions set to protest any mass job cuts.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
“I can’t thrash Aunt March, so I suppose I shall have to bear it.”
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
Wind thrashes around the car park in the dim dawn light, rattling the corrugated supermarket shutters and sending discarded carrier bags billowing as rain tumbles on to the asphalt.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2025
Park thrashes through the “Hedwig” songbook with aplomb; high points include the headbanger “Angry Inch,” the aching anthem “Wicked Little Town” and “Wig in a Box,” a tour-de-force tune of self-discovery.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 30, 2021
“When the virus thrashes your lungs, then what’s left is lung damage, and your body just has to heal that on its own,” he says.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 30, 2021
The rough grabs Scheffler’s club as he thrashes out of the rough at 1.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 18, 2021
Christina thrashes, but Molly is heavy and doesn’t budge.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
But in an ironic twist, part of the parking lot was underwater, a tractor had raised a berm to hold back the ocean, and just to the south, homes were being thrashed by waves.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
Powerful waves thrashed communities along California's southern coast Friday, damaging homes and sending water cascading through streets as residents braced for more potential damage wrought by Tropical Storm Rachel.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
South Korea, who thrashed Bangladesh 5-0, looked confused as the incorrect national anthem was played.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Trade bible Variety called it a "lacerating portrait," while Deadline said the "damning" film had "thrashed" Musk as "petty, narcissistic, megalomaniacal, cruel."
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
They splashed and thrashed their way through the water.
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
But UC Santa Cruz oceanographer and geologist Gary Griggs, who has seen the thrashing of that row of homes in previous years, is not going to make an offer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
A 35-6 road thrashing by Jacksonville prompted a predictable surge in doomsdayism.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
England have set themselves up nicely to finish unbeaten in T20s this summer after thrashing India 4-0 earlier in the year.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Last week management at the 10-brand group began what could be a long and tough process of thrashing out job cuts in talks with the supervisory board as workers protested at plants nationwide.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
Finally, with a great snapping of twigs and thrashing of branches across the windshield, as if the countryside is loath to release them, the car bursts forth onto smooth pavement and the light of day.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
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