thrashing

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A heavy defeat.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Now Hodgson just has to work out a makeshift forward line against a Ukraine team who warmed up for Tuesday by doling out the obligatory thrashing to San Marino, knocking in four goals by half-time and another five in the second half.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “thrashing” mean?

A heavy defeat.

Is “thrashing” formal or informal?

thrashing is generally slang.