adjective
flailing
FLAY-lihng
adjective
1
Moving in an uncontrolled, uncoordinated way, or struggling without success.
"The flailing business finally shut its doors after years of losses."
"She caught his flailing arm before he fell."
How to Use Flailing
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThrashing about with no control — used literally for limbs, and figuratively for a struggling project or effort.
Common pairings
flailing arms
a flailing campaign
flailing about
Word Forms
more flailing comparative, flailings plural, most flailing superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “flailing”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ business finally shut its doors after years of losses.