flustered

adjective

flus·​tered ˈflə-stərd 

: in a state of agitated confusion

She became so flustered that she'd … kept repeating, "Gosh, I can't even think …" Later she confided, "I was almost in tears right after doing those numbers."

—Stephen S. Hall

The flustered lady gave me a blank stare and said, "That's not Mr. Franklin. The guard said Mr. Franklin was on his way up."

—Dick Francis

… the oxen … seemed more patient and less flustered than their masters …

—Deborah Straw

flusteredly adverb

"Everything's under control, I think!" she says a little flusteredly. "We had a problem with the table posies, but fingers crossed, they should be on their way … ."

—Sophie Kinsella

Examples of flustered in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But the actress, singer, and daughter of French pop legend Serge Gainsbourg is great here, simultaneously elegant and flustered. —Judy Berman, Time, 23 Apr. 2025

When that line is blurry, many leaders get overwhelmed and flustered. —Maria Ross, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Late coverage rotations can be hard on college quarterbacks, but Shough wasn’t flustered facing them. —Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025

As Doocy tried to recompose himself following the bird's visit, hosts Ainsley Earhardt, Lawrence B. Jones and Brian Kilmeade jokingly laughed at their flustered reporter. —Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see fluster entry 1

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for flustered

• blustered
• bustard
• clustered
• custard
• mustard
• mustered