To a sound like the crack of a whip, the reporter flails backward, barely managing to remain upright.

The boy flailed backward, arms windmilling, and he went down on one knee.

Wilma screamed and flailed backward, sweeping the air in front of her with her knife.

He flailed backward, tripped over the coxswain's ankles, and toppled into the laps of his oarsmen.

The bass flailed backward, away from the stern of the motor yacht, Thibodeau's hook still buried in its gaping jaw.

A stout pillar was all that kept the guard from flailing backward into the other prisoners.

Poke screamed, dropping the .357 and flailing backward.

The hitchhiker flailed backward, boots slipping in the snow, and landed on his back.

Jud went flailing backward, stumbled over his own feet, went sprawling.

He hit her head squarely, but it had no effect on the robot and her leg sent him flailing backward.