flail
noun
an instrument for threshing grain, consisting of a staff or handle with a freely swinging stick or bar attached to one end of it.
flails
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pluralof flail.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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present tense formof flail (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
flailnounan instrument for threshing grain, consisting of a staff or handle with a freely swinging stick or bar attached to one end of it.
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.
In chatty yet carefully measured tunes with nearly as many hooks as words, McRae illuminates the accumulated humiliations and misunderstandings against which every couple flails.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2025
At times it’s hard to recognize the ascending superstar as he flails at pitches out of the strike zone and, despite his seemingly unflappable persona, shows unmistakable signs of pressing.
From Seattle Times ● May 4, 2023
Again, these are big swings, the kind of flails that Dodgers batters take when a playoff game is on the line.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 16, 2022
Wendell Pierce, as Willy, is wrenching as he flails and fails to avoid his fate instead of slumping into it from the start.
From New York Times ● Oct. 9, 2022
They beat it out with flails, he and the woman together.
From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck
