fling

American  

[fling] / flɪŋ /

verb (used with object)

flung, flinging

1. to throw, cast, or hurl with force or violence.

   to fling a stone.

2. to move (oneself ) violently with impatience, contempt, or the like.

   She flung herself angrily from the room.

3. to put suddenly or violently.

   to fling a suspect into jail.

4. to project or speak sharply, curtly, or forcefully.

   He flung his answer at the questioner.

5. to involve (oneself ) vigorously in an undertaking.

6. to move, do, or say (something) quickly.

   to fling a greeting in passing.

7. to send suddenly and rapidly.

   to fling fresh troops into a battle.

8. to throw aside or off.

9. to throw to the ground, as in wrestling or horseback riding.

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verb (used without object)

flung, flinging

1. to move with haste or violence; rush; dash.

2. to fly into violent and irregular motions, as a horse; throw the body about, as a person.

3. to speak harshly or abusively (usually followed byout ).

   He flung out disgustedly against the whole human race.

noun

1. an act of flinging.

2. a short period of unrestrained pursuit of one's wishes or desires.

   The week of partying was my last fling before starting a new job.

3. an attempt at something.

   He took a fling at playwriting.

4. a critical or contemptuous remark; gibe.

5. Also called Highland fling.  a lively Scottish dance characterized by flinging movements of the arms and legs.

fling British  

/ flɪŋ /

verb

1. to throw, esp with force or abandon; hurl or toss

2. to put or send without warning or preparation

   to fling someone into jail

3. (also intr) to move (oneself or a part of the body) with abandon or speed

   he flung himself into a chair

4. (usually foll by into) to apply (oneself) diligently and with vigour (to)

5. to cast aside; disregard

   she flung away her scruples

6. to utter violently or offensively

7. poetic to give out; emit

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noun

1. the act or an instance of flinging; toss; throw

2. a period or occasion of unrestrained, impulsive, or extravagant behaviour

   to have a fling

3. any of various vigorous Scottish reels full of leaps and turns, such as the Highland fling

4. a trial; try

   to have a fling at something different

fling Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing fling

• last fling

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Other Word Forms

• flinger noun
• outfling verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of fling

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; compare Swedish flänga “to fly, race”

Explanation

To fling is to throw something with force. You'll start a food fight in the cafeteria if you fling your vegetables at the kid across the table. The act of throwing something recklessly or with force can also be called a fling. Your mail sorting ritual might be putting bills in one pile and personal letters in another, then giving junk mail a fling into the recycling bin. A brief period of revelry or indulgence is another kind of fling. You and your friends could plan a weekend fling in New York, staying in a hotel, eating out, and shopping without worrying about how much money you spend.

Example Sentences

He maintained a strong and tender marriage, despite his fling with Kahlo, and tried to keep up with the times during breaks from work on his biography of Stalin.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

"They will get out, but not like people think. It's not as if they're going to fling the doors open like a bull run."

From Barron's • Jan. 10, 2026

Smith tried to drag a pull around the corner only for Jacks, at backward square leg, to fling himself to his right and cling on with his right hand.

From BBC • Dec. 5, 2025

Thanks to a Dolby Creator Lab Grant, Stern was able to work with Wild to shape a purposefully incoherent soundscape, using Dolby Atmos to fling sounds all around.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2025

Don’t want to fling him off into the parking lot.

From "The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle" by Leslie Connor

Related Words

• dump
• heave
• hurl
• jerk
• lob
• sling