Synonyms of floundered

floundered

verb

past tense of flounder

1

as in stumbled

to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

unprepared choristers who floundered helplessly through the musical number

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stumbled
• struggled
• blundered
• trudged
• shuffled
• limped
• lurched
• fumbled
• plodded
• lumbered
• faltered
• bumbled
• jogged
• swayed
• reeled
• flogged
• staggered
• shambled
• wallowed
• tottered
• muddled
• teetered
• weltered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sailed
• flew
• glided
• coasted
• zoomed
• zipped
• kilted

2

as in shuffled

to move heavily or clumsily

the car floundered through the heavy wet snow, constantly getting stuck

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stumbled
• shuffled
• stomped
• lurched
• weaved
• barged
• trudged
• stamped
• sloughed
• dragged
• shambled
• stumped
• hauled
• scuffled
• clumped
• lumped
• pounded
• tramped
• plodded
• scuffed
• lumbered
• flopped
• staggered
• slogged
• galumphed
• flogged
• tromped
• swayed
• reeled
• blundered
• waddled
• tottered
• careened
• teetered
• wobbled
• doddered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slid
• glided
• whisked
• drifted
• floated
• hung
• coasted
• hovered
• waltzed
• poised
• breezed
• wafted

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of floundered

Four months later Sand and her twenty-six-year-old medico also returned to Paris, whereupon their relationship promptly floundered. — Kathryn Hughes, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026

These teams typically floundered on and off the ice, draining the revenue-sharing pool and rarely fielding Stanley Cup contenders. — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 29 Sep. 2026

And yet when Winston took over for Dart in Monday’s first quarter, and as the Giants’ offense floundered while falling behind big, Beckham was nailed to the bench. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026

The tech giants surged to all-time highs this week, a surprising show of strength given that the group has floundered for much of this year with the artificial intelligence trade broadening away from megacaps. — Sarah Min, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026

Europe’s carmakers have floundered in the face of these changes. — Andrew McAfee, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2026

The books might not be a one-to-one, but Phillips wrote about the high life around him as his own family finances floundered in the shadow of the Great Depression. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026

The Indiana Fever floundered in a home game against the Washington Mystics, losing 93-77 on Sunday. — Tilly Robinson, IndyStar, 21 Sep. 2026

But as the institutional GOP floundered, Advance was notching headline-grabbing wins at the ballot. — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 13 Sep. 2026