Meaning & use
Flay
Last updated
To strip the skin from a body; more broadly, to criticize someone harshly and mercilessly.
See it in a sentence
In the myth, the satyr is flayed alive for daring to challenge Apollo.
The critics flayed the film for its clumsy dialogue and wasted cast.
A note on using this word
The figurative sense, meaning to criticize brutally, has been common in English since at least the 16th century, well before its modern use in reviews.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Flay”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.