The meaning of FLAILING is moving, swinging, or beating wildly like a flail —used especially of a person or a person's limbs. How to use flailing in a sentence.

He was flailing for something on which to cling to avoid the accusation of total absurdity.

2. To strike or lash out violently: boxers flailing at each other in the ring. 3. To make energetic but aimless or or ineffectual efforts: "As the end of law school approached, Hill flailed briefly in …

If your arms or legs flail or if you flail them about, they wave about in an energetic but uncontrolled way. His arms were flailing in all directions.

Definition of flail verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. [intransitive, transitive] flail (something) (about/around) to move around without control; to move your arms and legs …

moving about randomly and wildly, or making desperate attempts to respond to a challenge. I was pushed out of bed by the flailing limbs of my overexcited little boy. There was no real strike, …

The wounded animal lay on the ground, flailing helplessly. He was wildly flailing about/around on the dance floor. The bird's wings flailed the water.

Sep 26, 2025 · Adjective flailing (comparative more flailing, superlative most flailing) Having a lack of coordination, control, or successful outcome.

Jan 9, 2015 · Verb They were flailing their arms to drive away the insects. The wounded animal lay on the ground, flailing helplessly. He was wildly flailing about on the dance floor. The bird's …

Flailing means waving or thrashing arms or limbs wildly, often due to panic, excitement, or lack of control. It can also describe ineffective or desperate efforts to achieve something.