- present participle of thrash.
thrashing
Americannoun
-
a flogging; whipping.
-
the act of a person or thing that thrashes.
-
a pile or quantity of threshed grain or the grain threshed at one time.
noun
-
a physical assault; flogging
-
a convincing defeat
a 5–1 thrashing
Etymology
Origin of thrashing
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at thrash, -ing 1
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.
The gulf between Oklahoma State and its free-spending rivals was never more obvious than in the Cowboys’ second game last season, a 69-3 thrashing by Oregon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
They headlined Coachella in 2025, a rare heavy rock band to top the most influential festival in the U.S., delivering a raucous and thrashing set unlike any in the last decade of Coachella headliners.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 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
Their batters have looked uncomfortable away from the batter-friendly pitches of the IPL, thrashing at deliveries as they look to replicate the fast-scoring Indian domestic league.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
All she could see was that the girl was thrashing and flopping, churning the water in the pool.
From "Orphan Island" by Laurel Snyder
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
