How to pronounce flail
Say it like FLAYL. Flail is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- FLAYL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Flail pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FLAYLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of flail
American and British speakers say flail in essentially the same way: /fleɪl/ in the US and /fleɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: FLAYL.
What does flail mean?
- A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle (handstock) with a shorter stick (swipple or swingle) attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material.
- A weapon which has the (usually spherical) striking part attached to the handle with a flexible joint such as a chain.
- Part of a rotating device, often used for cutting vegetation.
- To beat using a flail or similar implement.
- To wave or swing vigorously
- To thresh.
Where does flail come from?
Alternatively, Proto-West Germanic *flagil may be an early borrowing of Latin flagellum (“winnowing tool, thresher”), diminutive of flagrum (“scourge, whip”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlag-, *bʰlaǵ- (“to beat”); compare Old Norse blekkja
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with flail
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of flail.
Questions about saying flail
How do you pronounce flail?
Say FLAYL. The American pronunciation is /fleɪl/. In British English it is /fleɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in flail?
Flail is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FLAYL.
Do Americans and Brits say flail the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /fleɪl/ and the British form is /fleɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.