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

Packing cubes can help organize your bag so nothing falls out and you’re not left flustered trying to rezip your bag after a thorough search. —Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026

Why does Self sound flustered with the situation after games, then flustered with the people talking about the situation in between games? —Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026

Francesca is visibly flustered in Michaela’s presence, foreshadowing a future connection. —Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 30 Jan. 2026

The professor seemed flustered, then dismissive. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 Dec. 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