lash

1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈlash How to pronounce lash (audio)
lashed; lashing; lashes
Synonyms of lashnext

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

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Verb (1)

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
Noun
Lips and cheeks have been hogging all the attention recently, while lids and lashes have been going nearly naked. — Elle Turner, Glamour, 28 Aug. 2026 The formula features flexible polymers for density and argan oil for lash conditioning. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lash

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

Phrases Containing lash

Rhymes for lash

See All Rhymes for lash

Browse Nearby Words

laser printer
lash
lash cleat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lash. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

lash

1 of 3 verb
ˈlash How to pronounce lash (audio)
1
: to move violently or suddenly
2
: to strike with or as if with a whip
3
: to attack with strong language
—usually used with out
lashed out at his sister

lash

2 of 3 noun
1
a
: a stroke with a whip or switch
b
: the flexible part of a whip
also : whip entry 2 sense 1
2
: a beating, whipping, or driving force
3
: eyelash

lash

3 of 3 verb
: to tie down with a rope, cord, or chain
lasher noun
Etymology

Verb

Middle English lassen "to move violently or suddenly"

Verb

Middle English lasschen "to lace," from early French lacer (same meaning), derived from Latin laqueare "to snare, catch in a noose," from laqueus "noose, snare" — related to lace, lasso entry 1 see Word History at lace

Medical Definition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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