fluttered; fluttering; flutters
1
: to flap the wings rapidly
butterflies fluttering among the flowers
2
a
: to move with quick wavering or flapping motions
a sail fluttering in the wind
b
: to vibrate in irregular spasms
his heart fluttered
3
: to move about or behave in an agitated aimless manner
She nervously fluttered around the office.
: to cause to flutter
The bird was fluttering its wings.
1
: an act of fluttering
2
3
a
: a distortion in reproduced sound similar to but of a higher pitch than wow
b
: fluctuation in the brightness of a television image
4
: an unwanted oscillation (as of an aileron or a bridge) set up by natural forces
5
chiefly British
: a small speculative venture or gamble
Examples of flutter in a Sentence
Verb
The bird was fluttering its wings.
The bird's wings were fluttering.
We watched the butterflies fluttering in the garden.
Leaves fluttered to the ground.
The breeze made the curtains flutter.
The breeze fluttered the curtains.
She fluttered her eyelashes at him.
She nervously fluttered around the office.
Noun
With a flutter of wings, the birds settled into the nest.
The flutter of the flame cast shadows on the ceiling.
He was in a flutter until he found his keys.
The news of her resignation caused quite a flutter.
have a flutter on a horse in the second race
Recent Examples on the Web
Dana Sauchelli, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2026
Butterflies and hummingbirds flutter about and two turkey vultures—with their six-foot wingspans—soar overhead.
—Devorah Lev-Tov, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Jan. 2026
Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 13 Jan. 2026
At the end of the trial, those who continued caffeinated coffee experienced a 47% recurrence rate of AF or atrial flutter, compared with 64% in the caffeine-abstinent group, translating to about a 39% lower risk of recurrence for coffee drinkers.
—New Atlas, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flutter
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.
Verb
In the end, the town promises a simpler life, sipping strong espressos beneath fluttering palm trees.
—Dana Sauchelli, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2026
Butterflies and hummingbirds flutter about and two turkey vultures—with their six-foot wingspans—soar overhead.
—Devorah Lev-Tov, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Jan. 2026
Noun
Lundell recalls identifying a distinct flutter a second before a particular panel failed, captured in videos from the trailer and the wind tunnel.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 13 Jan. 2026
At the end of the trial, those who continued caffeinated coffee experienced a 47% recurrence rate of AF or atrial flutter, compared with 64% in the caffeine-abstinent group, translating to about a 39% lower risk of recurrence for coffee drinkers.
—New Atlas, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flutter
Cite this Entry
“Flutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flutter. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
flutter
1 of 2 verb
flut·ter
ˈflət-ər 
1
: to move or cause the wings to move rapidly without flying or in short flights
butterflies flutter
2
: to move with quick wavering or flapping motions
flags fluttered in the breeze
3
: to move about or behave in an excited aimless manner
flutter
2 of 2 noun1
: an act of fluttering
2
3
: an unsteadiness of pitch in reproduced sound
Medical Definition
flutter
noun
flut·ter
ˈflət-ər
: an abnormal rapid spasmodic and usually rhythmic motion or contraction of a body part
diaphragmatic flutter
affected with ventricular flutter
flutter
intransitive verb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
