flounder

1 of 2

noun

floun·​der ˈflau̇n-dər How to pronounce flounder (audio)
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 How to pronounce flounder (audio)

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 unpreparedTime

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.

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
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.
Noun
The Flounder Fish Sandwich ($5.99): An Alaska flounder filet marinated in herbs & spices, fried in a crunchy southern coating, and served with tartar sauce or Spicy Spread, pickles on a warm brioche bun. Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 Main courses ranged from seared flounder filet and smoked trout to Angus rib-eye steak and roast leg of lamb. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 June 2025
Verb
Even as Marvel’s cinematic oeuvre slid into increasing irrelevance, DC floundered. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025 Bennett had five coaches in six Calgary seasons and his career was floundering before coming to the Panthers. Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for flounder

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of flounder was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Flounder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flounder. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

flounder

1 of 2 noun
floun·​der ˈflau̇n-dər How to pronounce flounder (audio)
plural flounder or flounders
: flatfish
especially : any of various important marine food fishes

flounder

2 of 2 verb
floundered; floundering -d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce flounder (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on flounder

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