1
as in to stumble
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
unprepared choristers who floundered helplessly through the musical number
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily
the car floundered through the heavy wet snow, constantly getting stuck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flounder
Ronald Reagan was in his first term; the Soviet Union was led by a former chief of the KGB, Yuri Andropov; and nuclear-arms negotiations with the Soviets were floundering.
—
Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 10 July 2025
Human spaceflight has floundered for decades, haunted by its inability to replicate its greatest achievements and whipsawed by changing presidential priorities.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025
Without clear guardrails, teams flounder or play it safe.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
While his inebriation didn’t affect the artistry of the band’s first five albums, by the late ’70s, Sabbath were floundering, both creatively and personally, due to in-fighting, lack of inspiration and heavy drug use.
—Jim Farber, Billboard, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for flounder
Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 10 July 2025
Human spaceflight has floundered for decades, haunted by its inability to replicate its greatest achievements and whipsawed by changing presidential priorities.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025
Without clear guardrails, teams flounder or play it safe.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
While his inebriation didn’t affect the artistry of the band’s first five albums, by the late ’70s, Sabbath were floundering, both creatively and personally, due to in-fighting, lack of inspiration and heavy drug use.
—Jim Farber, Billboard, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for flounder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flounder
Verb
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The Wave have been fortunate that Orlando and Washington have also stumbled, keeping the gap small.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Aug. 2025
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Indeed, the Braves overcame an early 5-1 deficit in the series opener Tuesday with four runs in the fourth inning to tie the score, only to give it right back on a night when Spencer Strider stumbled, tying a career high with eight runs allowed in four innings.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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From ones that incorporate fans to odes to classic binge-worthy TV, with the help of social media, everyone’s creative wheels are turning — and people are learning one new step after another, feet shuffling, turning, stepping with ease.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
4 Aug. 2025
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The coaching staff shuffled its depth chart, handing extra reps to players who had performed well over the previous nine practices and deserved a longer look.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Serafin pitches Qualtrics as using technology to solve a problem technology created, saying companies now struggle to piece together a coherent picture of their customers across their call centers, apps, websites, text messages, and social media accounts.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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The state’s newest theory is that Zeigler wore a raincoat while shooting his wife and mother-in-law (who was shot with two different guns) and struggling with his father-in-law — despite the customer having the father-in-law’s blood soaked into his pants.—
Gail Hollenbeck,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Jenna Ortega has stomped all over the press tour for the second season of Wednesday.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
6 Aug. 2025
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Some, snubbed by their companions, stomp off in a huff or peck adjacent fans instead, while youthful pairs looking to lock lips are thwarted by chaperoning adults.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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These pre-soaked exfoliating pads gently slough the top layer of skin to reveal a brighter, smoother complexion, thanks to a 10% dose of a glycolic acid complex.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
4 Aug. 2025
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The disease causes the soft tissue in the corals to slough off, leaving behind white patches of exposed skeleton.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flounder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flounder. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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