1
as in stumbled
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 shuffled
to move heavily or clumsily
the car floundered through the heavy wet snow, constantly getting stuck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of floundered
The Broncos special teams floundered, giving up a 72-yard return on their first kickoff and generally losing the field-position battle.
—
Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
In 2025, shares have floundered on investor concerns about how generative AI might disrupt the per-seat revenue models of software as a service (SaaS) companies like Salesforce.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2025
Florida football had just been outclassed by a program — Miami — that hired a coach in the same 2022 cycle UF did, and similarly struggled to jump-start its rebuild, having likewise floundered in recent years, despite its historic pedigree.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025
So why might Longbow succeed while others have floundered?
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
The booster catches have been one of the bright spots for the Starship program as progress on the rocket's upper stage floundered.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2025
Sitting 5 1/2 games out of the final Wild Card spot with a 64-66 record, the Rangers have floundered at a critical time, losing their past four series while on a 3-11 skid coming into Friday’s game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2025
Efforts to end property levies with ballot measures have floundered for the same reason, and some politicians who pitch abolition face related accusations that eliminating property taxes will inevitably lead to higher sales taxes.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Ryan Gerard took dead aim, but his drive floundered into the wind and splashed into water short of the green.
—Bennett Conlin, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2025
Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
In 2025, shares have floundered on investor concerns about how generative AI might disrupt the per-seat revenue models of software as a service (SaaS) companies like Salesforce.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2025
Florida football had just been outclassed by a program — Miami — that hired a coach in the same 2022 cycle UF did, and similarly struggled to jump-start its rebuild, having likewise floundered in recent years, despite its historic pedigree.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025
So why might Longbow succeed while others have floundered?
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
The booster catches have been one of the bright spots for the Starship program as progress on the rocket's upper stage floundered.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2025
Sitting 5 1/2 games out of the final Wild Card spot with a 64-66 record, the Rangers have floundered at a critical time, losing their past four series while on a 3-11 skid coming into Friday’s game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2025
Efforts to end property levies with ballot measures have floundered for the same reason, and some politicians who pitch abolition face related accusations that eliminating property taxes will inevitably lead to higher sales taxes.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Ryan Gerard took dead aim, but his drive floundered into the wind and splashed into water short of the green.
—Bennett Conlin, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for floundered
Verb
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But even on a night where Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards scored 31, no one was better than Dončić, who only stumbled when the Lakers tried to get him to 50 points.—
Dan Woike,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Abdi stumbled, and only kept himself upright by leaning with both hands on his cane.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And after Paulsen’s five seasons in Washington, several of those Shanahan-tree coaches indeed shuffled Paulsen from building to building, staff to staff.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Backpacks borne and carry-ons in tow, travelers at Miami International Airport shuffled through serpentine security lines on Friday.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Her sister struggled for years with substance use, leading their mother to assume custody of her sister's two children.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
26 Oct. 2025
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After an effort to create a Falls of the Ohio national park fell short in 1967, Kentucky and Indiana officials struggled to stop the falls from becoming a garbage dump.—
Leo Bertucci,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At Stella McCartney, a pair of slouchy patent leather square-toe boots stomped down the catwalk.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
24 Oct. 2025
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When Empower Field hosted the CONCACAF Nations League final between the United States and Mexico in 2021, the building stomped and shook like a Saturday at College Station, Texas, or Madison, Wis.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Floundered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floundered. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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