lash

lash
1 of 3
verb (1)
;lash
lashed; lashing; lashes
Synonyms of lash
intransitive verb

1
: to move violently or suddenly : dash
2
: to thrash or beat violently
rain lashed at the windowpanes
3
: to make a verbal attack or retort —usually used with out
transitive verb

1
a
: to whip or fling about violently
the big cat lashed its tail about threateningly
b
: to strike or beat with or as if with a whip
waves lashed the shore
2
a
: to assail with stinging words
b
: drive, whip
lashed them into a fury with his fiery speech
lash

2 of 3
noun
1
a
(1)
: a stroke with or as if with a whip
(2)
: the flexible part of a whip
also : whip
b
: punishment by whipping
2
: a beating, whipping, or driving force
3
: a stinging rebuke
4
: eyelash
5
: the clearance or play between adjacent movable mechanical parts
lash

3 of 3
verb (2)
lashed; lashing; lashes
transitive verb

: to bind with or as if with a line

Synonyms of lash
Relevance
Verb (1)

whip
hide
slash
flick
leather
slap
Noun

blow
slap
punch
thump
swipe
stroke
hit
whack
thud
knock
pound
smack
poke
spank
lick
bang
beat
Examples of lash in a Sentence
Verb (1)
the cat's tail nervously lashed the table leg
all night long sheets of rain lashed the windows
Noun
They gave the sailor 50 lashes for disobeying orders.
The disobedient sailors were threatened with the lash.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Chappell took to social media to vent some of her ire, lashing out at the Biden administration.
—Alexandra Rockey Fleming, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Video shared with The Times by attendees showed protesters trying to pull him from the vehicle and continuing to punch and lash out at him as police took him into custody.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Noun
Hudson’s makeup artist, Tonya Brewer, blurred her pores using a mattifying powder, volumized her lashes with a few swipes of a smudge-free mascara, defined her pout with a long-lasting lip liner, and more.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Follow Naomi Scott's lead by opting for lash-grazing bangs that accentuate the eyes for a look that's wide awake.
—Audrey Noble, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)

Middle English

Verb (2)

Middle English lasschyn to lace, from Anglo-French lacer, lasser — more at lace

First Known Use
Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb (2)

1624, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lash was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century