MEANING
1. To strike or beat repeatedly with force, or to move violently and uncontrollably.
2. To struggle or flail about with forceful, uncontrolled movements.
Use it for
Use for repeated blows or violent movement under strain.Show movement that is forceful, panicked, and difficult to contain.
Words that belong together
- thrash against the ropes
- thrash about
- thrash wildly
- thrash in pain
- thrash against restraints
On the page
Something thrashed beneath the trapdoor until the nails began to lift.
The figure thrashed in the flooded stairwell, striking the rail with each turn.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- thrash
- Past tense
- thrashed
- Past participle
- thrashed
- Present participle
- thrashing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- thrash
- Present continuous
- am/is/are thrashing
- Present perfect
- have/has thrashed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been thrashing
- Past
- thrashed
- Past continuous
- was/were thrashing
- Past perfect
- had thrashed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been thrashing
- Future
- will thrash
- Future continuous
- will be thrashing
- Future perfect
- will have thrashed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been thrashing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Thrash can mean repeated forceful blows or violent struggling movement; context distinguishes attack from uncontrolled motion. Sense 2: This sense emphasizes uncontrolled movement and does not necessarily imply that the subject is attacking someone.
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