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
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flagellates
Verb
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Canty is one of the coaches who whips students into shape.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026 -
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
Verb
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Every statistic about patient safety hides a human story.—
Joe Kiani,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Produced by Red Planet Pictures, a Fremantle company, the show is set in a leafy London suburb and follows devoted couple Alex and Beth, whose picture-perfect life hides a devastating truth.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At the end of each month, Amazon slashes prices on travel gear in order to clear house for the following month.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2026
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Earlier this month, the White House released its fiscal year (FY) 2027 federal budget request, which slashes NASA's total budget by 23% and its science funding by 47%.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While Dad is developing photos in his darkroom, Jeremy flicks on the lights.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
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Killer whales off New England The aquarium says killer whale sightings are uncommon in New England waters.—
Neal Riley,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This service automatically switches to cellular internet when your primary connection goes down keeping you online during outages caused by power shut offs or natural disasters.—
Cox Communications,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Long-term stability Nickel-titanium is a shape-memory alloy that switches between two crystal structures to transfer heat.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As Frances ascends in the art world, Avery flails financially and emotionally — and the nationwide Adderall shortage isn’t helping.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
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Trump lashes out at NATO and the Pope, again.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
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The brand’s hero reusable Plushy lashes retail for $25 a pair, while the brand’s Control Kits, which include application tools, retail for about $125.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Flagellates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flagellates. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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