flounder

1 of 2

noun

floun·​der ˈflau̇n-dər 

plural flounder or flounders

: flatfish

especially : any of various marine fishes (families Pleuronectidae, Paralichthyidae, and Bothidae) that include important food fishes

flounder

2 of 2

verb

floundered; floundering ˈflau̇n-d(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to struggle to move or obtain footing : thrash about wildly

The poor horse was floundering in the mud.

2

: to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

the normally surefooted governor floundered a moment like a prize pupil caught unprepared

—Time

Did you know?

There’s nothing fishy about flounder... the verb, that is. While the noun referring to a common food fish is of Scandinavian origin, the verb flounder, which dates to the late 16th century, is likely an alteration of an older verb, founder. The two verbs have been confused ever since. Today, founder is most often used as a synonym of fail, or, in contexts involving a waterborne vessel, as a word meaning “to fill with water and sink.” Formerly, it was also frequently applied when a horse stumbled badly and was unable to keep walking. It’s likely this sense of founder led to the original and now-obsolete meaning of flounder: “to stumble.” In modern use, flounder typically means “to struggle” or “to act clumsily”; the word lacks the finality of founder, which usually suggests complete collapse or failure, as that of a sinking ship.

Synonyms

Verb

• blunder
• bumble
• flog [British]
• limp
• lumber
• plod
• struggle
• stumble
• trudge

Examples of flounder in a Sentence

Verb

The horses were floundering through the deep snow.

He was floundering around in the pool like an amateur.

After watching me flounder for a few minutes, my instructor took over.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Listen to this article As teams across the Eastern Conference flounder through March, the Chicago Bulls are finding a little rhythm. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025

The limited-time offering is made with a battered Alaskan flounder filet topped with pickles, lettuce, American cheese and tartar sauce on a toasted bun, a product description reads. —Tanasia Kenney, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2025

Verb

Ted Bundy Speculation While police floundered for answers, some community members began to create their own. —Sean Neumann, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025

After the franchise floundered for several years at quarterback, the new trio in power quickly stabilized the position with Smith, who just threw for a career-high 4,320 yards in 2024. —Jeff Howe, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian flundra flounder

Verb

probably alteration of founder

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing flounder

• summer flounder
• winter flounder
• yellowtail flounder

Rhymes for flounder

• founder
• pounder
• rounder
• sounder
• cofounder
• compounder
• expounder
• profounder

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Kids Definition

flounder

1 of 2 noun

floun·​der ˈflau̇n-dər 

plural flounder or flounders

: flatfish

especially : any of various important marine food fishes

flounder

2 of 2 verb

floundered; floundering -d(ə-)riŋ 

: to struggle or go clumsily

floundering through the deep snow

Etymology

Noun

Middle English flounder "a flatfish"; of Scandinavian origin

Verb

probably an altered form of founder