flailing

[ fley-ling ]

noun

1. the act of moving one’s limbs or body about randomly and wildly (often followed by around or about ):

   The patient had to be sedated, as her flailing gave the nurse a bloody nose.

2. the act or process of making desperate attempts to respond to a difficult or awkward situation (often followed by around or about ):

   Embracing the challenge of doing business differently doesn't just mean more effort, more mindless flailing around.

3. the act or process of beating grain with a flail to separate the kernel from the chaff:

   As wheat production increased, flailing and winnowing were replaced with threshing machines and fanning mills.

adjective

1. 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, only a flailing protest by unions trying to become relevant again.

Word History and Origins

Origin of flailing¹

First recorded in 1850–55; flail ( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun senses; flail ( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective sense

Example Sentences

First, the Yankees’ best relievers will be working on no rest — they were all understandably used Tuesday by their flailing manager — while the Dodgers’ best relievers will be ready to roll.

From Los Angeles Times

Mayer took his own crazed solo, followed by Stills, and then Young closed with a final flurry of notes, flailing and cataclysmic, as always.

From Los Angeles Times

The characters try to climb their way out, flinging themselves up and flailing about violently as they slide down.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump’s hapless and contradictory flailing on abortion is a prime signal: This man shouldn’t get another term.

From Los Angeles Times

There's a flailing quality to this behavior of men lashing out because they can't force women to care what they think.

From Salon

Related Words

• whipping