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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flounder
Then Arizona returns home to face floundering Oklahoma State and faces Brigham Young one week before the Cougars play their rivalry game (against Utah).
—
Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
So why might Longbow succeed while others have floundered?
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
While the Rangers have surged, the Mariners have begun to flounder, going 5-5 in the past 10 games and 6-12 in the past 18.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2025
Domestic competitors were interested in acquiring the floundering manufacturing unit.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flounder
Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
So why might Longbow succeed while others have floundered?
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
While the Rangers have surged, the Mariners have begun to flounder, going 5-5 in the past 10 games and 6-12 in the past 18.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2025
Domestic competitors were interested in acquiring the floundering manufacturing unit.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flounder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flounder
Verb
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But there have been some career stumbles recently, a superhero disappointment in particular, that must have complicated Johnson’s conception of his remarkable career.—
Richard Lawson,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
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Wallen then stumbles to his feet in the middle of the road, as rain pours down, with close-up images showing Wallen in tattered clothes and covered in scrapes and cuts.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Cooper, an alum of Ralph Lauren and the former creative director of Ash NYC, plans to rotate the displays weekly, mixing in vintage furniture from his studio’s collection and shuffling the assortment so regulars will always find something new.—
Sydney Gore,
Architectural Digest,
29 Sep. 2025
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Typically, at this time, nearly 20 minutes after a game, players are shuffling in and out.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In addition to market volatility, Generation X is struggling with inflation.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
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Hudson’s daughter, Ricky (Perry Mattfield), who works as an assistant coach, is a former track star who lost her confidence after an injury and now struggles to get the other Catfish coaches (including her dad) to take her seriously.—
Kristen Baldwin,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Norwegian stomping clear of a defence caught too high up the pitch.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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At Harris Reed, platform Herman Munster shoes stomped and even tripped on the runway.—
Hanna McNeila,
Footwear News,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Dirt, body oil, and dead skin cells sloughed off during bathing also contribute to this sticky residue.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
28 Sep. 2025
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Superfine silica particles physically slough away dead skin cells while lactic and salicylic acids act as chemical exfoliants to loosen the bonds that hold said cells on the skin’s surface.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flounder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flounder. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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