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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of floundered
The Bucks floundered without him and the coach paid the price.
—
Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
As staffers await new leadership, projects have floundered, many in a holding pattern awaiting funding.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
The Panthers have largely floundered since moving from the Big East to the ACC in 2013.
—CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Coming from the Rockies, an organization that has floundered in recent years and is coming off a historically poor 43-119 season, Ward said joining the Red Sox and seeing what the organization is about has been a huge and welcome change.
—Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 12 Mar. 2026
Strange, whose strength is his athleticism, stabilized a right guard position that was searching for anyone who could make a contribution after Daniels only lasted three plays due to a pectoral injury and Smith floundered during his brief opportunity.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
In the latter years of the Roman Republic, landowners amassed unprecedented riches while plebeians floundered, spawning resentment that infected many corners of society.
—Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
That idea is central to why many real world sectors are outperforming this year, even as the overall market and especially tech stocks have floundered.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2026
To varying degrees, all three have floundered.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
As staffers await new leadership, projects have floundered, many in a holding pattern awaiting funding.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
The Panthers have largely floundered since moving from the Big East to the ACC in 2013.
—CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Coming from the Rockies, an organization that has floundered in recent years and is coming off a historically poor 43-119 season, Ward said joining the Red Sox and seeing what the organization is about has been a huge and welcome change.
—Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 12 Mar. 2026
Strange, whose strength is his athleticism, stabilized a right guard position that was searching for anyone who could make a contribution after Daniels only lasted three plays due to a pectoral injury and Smith floundered during his brief opportunity.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
In the latter years of the Roman Republic, landowners amassed unprecedented riches while plebeians floundered, spawning resentment that infected many corners of society.
—Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
That idea is central to why many real world sectors are outperforming this year, even as the overall market and especially tech stocks have floundered.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2026
To varying degrees, all three have floundered.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for floundered
Verb
-
But as Adebayo stumbled to regain his balance, Ball reached out and pulled on Adebayo’s leg.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Adebayo stumbled but did not fall.—
Steve Reed,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For weeks, Isaiah Mosley shuffled into the morning chaos of the Miami criminal courthouse.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Born from the embers of the eighties band Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, led by the singer and guitarist Amelia Fletcher, shuffled forward with her riffy, effervescent playing style, gradually growing more sophisticated across four LPs and an EP, without any loss of buoyancy.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For years, the LAPD struggled to clear a decades-old backlog of untested rape kits that at one point ballooned in number to more than 6,100.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Kilmer, who died from throat cancer at 65, signed on to the project, but struggled with health issues once production began.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Godzilla stomped its way to Las Vegas for CinemaCon, the annual convention for movie theater owners that’s underway at Caesars Palace.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The cat, hungry, stomped around on the comforter.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Floundered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floundered. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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