flustered

adjective

flus·​tered ˈflə-stərd How to pronounce flustered (audio)
: 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
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The student in question would become flustered and exposed, providing an opening for their subconscious to emerge. Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025 On the morning of March 15th, the women were shackled and taken from their cells by ICE officers, who seemed rushed and slightly flustered. Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025 With the run game nonexistent, the Commanders teed off on the Giants’ offensive line, and Wilson was flustered throughout. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025 Barrymore completed her routine by laying out triumphantly across the desk and giving the camera a big grin as a flustered Colbert sat behind her. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flustered

Word History

Etymology

see fluster entry 1

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flustered was in 1743

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Cite this Entry

“Flustered.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flustered. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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