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
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
When Robert Saleh was with the franchise, the Jets consistently fielded one of the most successful defenses in the NFL, while the offense often floundered.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 30 Sep. 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
Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2025
When Robert Saleh was with the franchise, the Jets consistently fielded one of the most successful defenses in the NFL, while the offense often floundered.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 30 Sep. 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
-
Except, of course, for that old dinosaur that somehow stumbled into a misplaced DeLorean, fired up the flux capacitor, and time travelled from the stone ages straight to the Uli beach.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Determined to keep searching, Hollie eventually stumbled on a TLC episode featuring a boy named Gio, who also had Schwartz-Jampel Syndrome.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Amid the hangover of the 0-4 start, students shuffled out their dorms, lured by free food and faint promise of school spirit at the Rose Bowl.—
Cameron Teague Robinson,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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Restyle Soft Goods Soft goods like accent pillows, throw blankets, and even curtains can be easily shuffled around to refresh your space, Reinhard says.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Both teams are currently ranked in the top 10, and as is well-documented, Franklin has struggled in such games.—
Cameron Teague Robinson,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
-
The food bank has struggled to keep up with demand following the cuts and a decrease in private donations.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
By Dom Luszczyszyn, Sean Gentille and Shayna Goldman Coming into last season, the Washington Capitals had taken major steps to improve a roster that, by plenty of measures, had fluked its way into the postseason and summarily gotten stomped in the first round.—
The Athletic NHL,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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When the band quickly left before the encore, the elated, yet sweaty, audience clapped their hands and stomped their feet without virtually anyone leaving the building.—
Josh Chesler,
AZCentral.com,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Floundered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floundered. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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