flail

While investment and consumption flail, China’s dollar-denominated exports power on, surging almost 20% year-over-year last month on demand for artificial intelligence and clean-energy products.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

With the USA bats continuing to flail against Rodriguez, the Venezuelans doubled their lead in the top of the fifth inning.

From Barron's ● Mar. 18, 2026

He opened the unlocked door of a police vehicle, climbed into the back and began to flail in distress.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026

Yet Apple TV+, in raw viewership terms, continues to flail.

From Slate ● Jan. 16, 2025

Next the beast knocked over a jar of apple butter, but the skin lid was tied on tightly, and, flail away at it as he might with his awkward paw, he could not dislodge it.

From "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson

In chatty yet carefully measured tunes with nearly as many hooks as words, McRae illuminates the accumulated humiliations and misunderstandings against which every couple flails.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2025

Cure turns toward Aldridge and flails his arms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2023

Blusteringly self-important, he flails through life, naïve and directionless and pontificating nonetheless.

From New York Times ● May 5, 2023

At times it’s hard to recognize the ascending superstar as he flails at pitches out of the strike zone and, despite his seemingly unflappable persona, shows unmistakable signs of pressing.

From Seattle Times ● May 4, 2023

The horse flails, and the knight is up to his cobalt-cloaked chest in water.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

He and Gail gave up their salaries and lived off credit cards while Dave flailed, trying to keep their creditors at bay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Wilson flailed, clearly unprepared to explain the facts laid out in the indictment.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

Bovino flailed back at every affront instead of focusing on his mission, not realizing his recklessness was eroding public support for his cause and threatening it altogether.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026

Stagflation set in, and the Nixon, Ford and Carter administrations all flailed helplessly at the beast.

From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026

Miss Rachel flailed relentlessly at a heaving tangle of lily pads, bed sheet, legs and arms, and twining ivy.

From "Go Set a Watchman: A Novel" by Harper Lee

A humanoid’s frantic attempts to stay upright—arms flailing, legs skittering—bears an uncanny resemblance to the choreographed collapses of Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton.

From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026

But Southern and Lovelace are left flailing around for a story.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

“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

Then Mookie Betts drove him in with a comebacker over the mound and past flailing second baseman Edouard Julien.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 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