thrash

verb

ˈthrash How to pronounce thrash (audio)
Definition of thrashnext
1
as in to bury
to defeat by a large margin the incumbent has been thrashing his opponents for so long that there's never any real contest for the Senate seat

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to whip
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible thrashed the poor horse with a riding crop

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly the tree branches thrashed the sides of the house as the storm continued to rage

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to toss
to make jerky or restless movements in obvious pain, the wounded soldier thrashed about his cot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word thrash distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of thrash are brandish, flourish, swing, and wave. While all these words mean "to wield or cause to move to and fro or up and down," thrash suggests vigorous, abrupt, violent movement.

an infant thrashing his arms about

When can brandish be used instead of thrash?

While the synonyms brandish and thrash are close in meaning, brandish implies threatening or menacing motion.

brandishing a knife

When would flourish be a good substitute for thrash?

The words flourish and thrash are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, flourish suggests vigorous, ostentatious, graceful movement.

flourished the winning lottery ticket

When might swing be a better fit than thrash?

Although the words swing and thrash have much in common, swing implies regular or uniform movement.

swing the rope back and forth

Where would wave be a reasonable alternative to thrash?

In some situations, the words wave and thrash are roughly equivalent. However, wave usually implies smooth or continuous motion.

waving the flag

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of thrash Within two weeks, later symptoms may include anxiety, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, being very thirsty but panicked by fluids, having lots of saliva and aggressive behavior like thrashing and biting. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Fatal Influence sprinted out to a lead by isolating their opponents and thrashing them on the outside. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 All married slap bass to thrash guitar, but if most of their cohort alternated rapping and belting on the vocal front, Primus trotted out Claypool as more of a hyperliterate carnival barker. — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026 Then its arms swing harder and its entire body begins thrashing. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for thrash
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrash
  1. bury
  2. whip
  3. lick
  4. toss
  5. beat
  6. hide
  7. lash
  8. twitch
Verb
  • In many cases, bodies have been washed far downstream and rendered unrecognizable, while others still missing are feared to have been buried in the torrent of thick mud.
    — Andrew Jones, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Huntsinger never expected to be dealing with a major mudslide that buried one of the festival’s main venues, The Palm, in three feet of mud.
    — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of bury
Verb
  • Ella Langley continues to whip fans into a frenzy on social media.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Deploying everything from pickled green strawberries and fresh peas to whipped labneh with Banyul vinegar glaze, artful Viennoiserie evokes more than a little whimsy that spans sweet and savory.
    — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of whip
Verb
  • That glib self-confidence is present in McNamara, who licks the doughnut glaze off his fingers before offering his hand to the female detective questioning the one living Jason.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • One act featured two young women sitting on the stage and licking orange Popsicles (yes, that was the whole act).
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • Royals Manager Matt Quatraro gets tossed after umpires reverse a run scoring balk taking away a run from the Royals.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But on a recent day, Aly was salvaging bricks from his razed home, tossing the good ones in a pile to sell to construction companies.
    — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of toss
Verb
  • She had been beaten and stabbed inside her home, and her body was then placed in the trunk of her car.
    — Brett Barrouquere, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Tysie Gallagher, Terri Harper and Caroline Dubois beat Americans Brandi Robinson, Miranda Reyes and Amelia Moore, respectively, earlier in the night, while Reina Tellez defeated Jessica Barry for the United States’ only victory.
    — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of beat
Verb
  • Yes, that’s right, the world’s most famous nude sculpture was once outfitted with a belt of 28 copper leaves to hide its genitalia.
    — Alicja Zelazko, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Avoid walking through tall grass, rocky areas or other places where snakes might hide, such as wildflower or bluebonnet patches.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • In the same series of Sunday morning posts, the president also lashed out at Kristen Welker, the moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press, for saying his endorsements of Republican candidates in primary elections this year had shown mixed results.
    — Jeff Mason, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • One of the most famously arid national landmarks succumbed to deadly flash flooding over the weekend, leaving at least one person dead and more than a dozen unaccounted for as more rain could lash Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona on Monday.
    — Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of lash
Verb
  • The 5-11, 210-pounder is a sudden cutter who runs with power and twitch, attacking space like a great punt returner.
    — Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The muscles in Lola Petticrew’s face twitch ever so slightly, indicating Catherine’s excitement that the police are now in possession of this picture.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of twitch

Phrases Containing thrash

Browse Nearby Words

thralls
thrash
thrashed
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Cite this Entry

“Thrash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrash. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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