1
as in to stumble
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
unprepared choristers who floundered helplessly through the musical number
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily
the car floundered through the heavy wet snow, constantly getting stuck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flounder
Márquez has been a trade topic for several seasons due to the Rockies' floundering during his tenure.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Apr. 2025
While Willard recently decried Maryland’s lack of resources, Vanderbilt often flounders behind its SEC peers in terms of spending and on-field results in football and men’s basketball.
—C.j. Doon, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2025
Though Democrats have floundered to find a national party leader to rally behind since Trump won the 2024 election, Republicans are similarly dealing with a murky 2028 picture.
—Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 7 May 2025
The only person not pulling their weight in the ensemble is Porsha, who continues to flounder during what could’ve been an epic comeback.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flounder
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Apr. 2025
While Willard recently decried Maryland’s lack of resources, Vanderbilt often flounders behind its SEC peers in terms of spending and on-field results in football and men’s basketball.
—C.j. Doon, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2025
Though Democrats have floundered to find a national party leader to rally behind since Trump won the 2024 election, Republicans are similarly dealing with a murky 2028 picture.
—Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 7 May 2025
The only person not pulling their weight in the ensemble is Porsha, who continues to flounder during what could’ve been an epic comeback.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flounder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flounder
Verb
-
And then there are those, like Mia, who stumble on their birth families inadvertently.—
Barbara Demick,
New Yorker,
23 May 2025
-
Per a fan video, at one point during the show, after spinning his microphone and tossing it towards the audience, Joel appeared to stumble, falling backwards and landing on his side.—
Marina Watts,
People.com,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
The team then trained three seals–Nick, Luca, and Miro–to shuffle into place in front of a large screen and showed them the simulations.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
29 May 2025
-
The next generation's most exciting opportunities won't be found in shuffling digital information but in reimagining the physical world.—
Richard Lebovitz,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
While many companies have struggled to define their policies, bouncing between strict return-to-office mandates and hybrid compromises, Logitech has taken a different path.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
-
From dropout to overachiever For most of her life, Mui struggled to fit into society’s mold.—
Ernestine Siu,
CNBC,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
In a world where we’re constantly reminded that physical media is dead — that the future is just algorithms stomping our faces, forever — the fact that the Criterion Closet has gone viral suggests that all is not lost.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
29 May 2025
-
No one could agree on whether the brawl of as many as nine young men was limited to fists or if its participants were also kicking and stomping.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
Although exfoliation is beneficial, sloughing away the dead skin cells that can clog pores and make skin look less than radiant, doing it too often can cause irritation, redness, and even breakouts.—
Lindy Segal,
Allure,
23 May 2025
-
With their glue dissolved by glycolic acid, those tough, rough layers of dead skin cells can be sloughed away more easily.—
Deanna Pai,
Glamour,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flounder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flounder. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share