as in whips
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
some medieval monks believed it was necessary to flagellate themselves in order to keep their desires in check
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flagellates
Verb
-
When a dog repeatedly wags and whips its tail against hard surfaces, the tip can split open, bruise or break.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Jan. 2026 -
Benbrook whips Diamond Hill-Jarvis Benbrook stayed on pace for a playoff berth in District 8-4A as the Lady Bobcats thumped Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis 55-7.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Seize Qeshm Island, where Iran hides its anti-ship missiles and mines.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The right edge hides a USB-C charging port behind a thick gasket.—
Mark Knapp,
PC Magazine,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This budget cut slashes the funds allocated to Chile’s Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
23 Mar. 2026
-
State Department slashes fee to renounce US citizenship For anyone considering a breakup with America, the fee to give up US citizenship just dropped by about 80%.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the video, the snake flicks its tongue, a common sensory behavior used to detect chemical cues in the air and identify nearby prey or potential predators.—
Jasmine Mendez
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Brobbey flicks the ball into the path of Diarra, who carries it into the vacated space, before his shot deflects off Axel Tuanzebe and gives Sunderland the lead.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Executive chef Tim Charles switches up menus daily, although a few staples like the moose burger and lobster and kale broth make repeat appearances.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Once Towns lays the screen for Brunson, Castle switches onto the point guard, a crafty one-on-one scorer who chooses not to go at Castle and swings the ball to the other side of the court.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Premiums are poised to rise next year as the party flails on whether to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
16 Dec. 2025
-
The 16-year-old flails her arms, thrashes and kicks — sometimes for hours.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Conditioning ingredients like provitamin B5 and mango butter help lashes feel soft and flexible.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Toward the end of the final episode of Love Story, Constance Zimmer’s Ann Messina Freeman lashes out at Caroline Kennedy over her daughters’ deaths.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The 16-year-old flails her arms, thrashes and kicks — sometimes for hours.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
5 Dec. 2025
-
Framed by her Pepto-pink hair — another Moisturizer-era change — Teasdale bodyrolls and thrashes around, singing so wildly that the edges of her mouth seem to disappear.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
10 Oct. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Flagellates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flagellates. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
