fling
/ˈflɪŋ/noun, verb
fling is spelled F-L-I-N-G: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears 2.1 times per million words in written English, the 18,811th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, fling means “An act of throwing, often violently” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of fling is flings.
How many letters and syllables are in fling?
| Letters | 5: F-L-I-N-G |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.1 times per million words; the 18,811th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is fling?
Fling appears 2.1 times per million words in written English, the 18,811th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce fling?
- /ˈflɪŋ/
Fling has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-fling.ogg, LL-Q7979-Soundguys-fling.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of fling
- flings plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- flinging participle, present
- flung participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does fling mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
An act of throwing, often violently.
- 2
An act of moving the limbs or body with violent movements, especially in a dance.
the fling of a horse
- 3
An act or period of unrestrained indulgence, enthusiasm, or both.
- 4
A short romantic, oftentimes sexual, relationship.
a summer fling
- 5
An attempt, a try.
give it a fling
- 6
obsoleteA severe or contemptuous remark; an expression of sarcastic scorn; a gibe or taunt.
- 7
A lively Scottish country dance.
the Highland fling
- 8
A party, especially a dance party.
a spring fling
verb
- 1
To throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl.
- 2
To move (oneself) abruptly or violently; to rush or dash.
- 3
archaicTo throw; to wince; to flounce.
- 4
To utter abusive language; to sneer.
The scold began to flout and fling.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Fling in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | jet, lancé , aventure, passade, liaison, amourette |
| German | Schleudern, Wurf, Werfen, Hinschleudern, Hinwerfen, Herumwerfen |
| Portuguese | caso, ficada , arremessar, lançar |
| Spanish | aventura, lío, rollo, devaneo, escarceo amoroso, amorío |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does fling come from?
From Middle English fling, from the verb (see below). Compare Icelandic flengur (“a fast sprint”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).