flounder

flounder

verb

Definition of FLOUNDER

1

to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually <unprepared choristers who floundered helplessly through the musical number>

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

Related Words jog, shamble, shuffle; wallow, welter; falter, lurch, reel, stagger, sway, teeter, totter; fumble, muddle

Near Antonyms coast, fly, glide, kilt, sail, zip, zoom

2

to move heavily or clumsily <the car floundered through the heavy wet snow, constantly getting stuck>

Synonyms barge, clomp, clump, flog [British], flounder, galumph, lump, plod, pound, scuff, scuffle, shamble, shuffle, slog, slough, stamp, stomp, stumble, stump, tramp, tromp, trudge

Related Words drag, flop, haul; blunder, careen, dodder, lurch, reel, stagger, sway, teeter, totter, waddle, weave, wobble (also wabble)

Near Antonyms drift, float, hang, hover, poise, waft

Antonyms breeze, coast, glide, slide, waltz, whisk