- present participle of flail.
flailing
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.
“His flailing is a terrible blow to U.S. deterrence,” said Daniel Shapiro, a senior Pentagon official during the Biden administration who also served as U.S. ambassador to Israel under President Barack Obama.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Neill’s performance is as flailing and furious as hers, and together, they turn “Possession” into a radical piece of filmmaking that has deservedly earned its cult following and late reverence.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
"She came out with her two little arms flailing," family friend Rolando told AFP, asking to be identified by only his first name.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
Or maybe Becerra was, indeed, a feckless, flailing and thoroughly awful Cabinet member, deserving of scorn and shame.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026
Laleh laughed and tried to copy her, though my sister’s flailing was somewhat more violent.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
