as in failing
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1
as in struggling
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
unprepared choristers who floundered helplessly through the musical number
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shuffling
to move heavily or clumsily
the car floundered through the heavy wet snow, constantly getting stuck
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Recent Examples of floundering
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2026
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 3 June 2026
Max Muncy also went deep as Los Angeles bounced back to take the three-game series after floundering late in a 4-3 loss Saturday.
—CBS News, 31 May 2026
But the decision to overhaul the network’s top show, especially with its evening newscast and morning show still floundering, is a major risk to take.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2026
Russia’s spring offensive is floundering as Ukraine’s midrange drone strikes disrupt its rear supply lines, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
—Susie Blann, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
France’s floundering President Emmanuel Macron isn’t doing much better.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Through the first seven games after the Red Sox’s coaching purge — which included hitting coach Peter Fatse, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson and major-league hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin — Boston’s offense is still floundering.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 3 May 2026
Reconstruction in the South was floundering.
—Fergus M. Bordewich, Time, 30 Apr. 2026
The additional billions that Moscow has reaped because of the Iran war is easing some pressure off Russia’s floundering economy and the Kremlin’s ability to finance the conflict in Ukraine.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Or maybe this team just looked itself in the mirror and made the corrections that could have saved a floundering season.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
Before Tan took over as CEO in March 2025 , the foundry business was floundering, trying to do many things at once.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 3 June 2026
Max Muncy also went deep as Los Angeles bounced back to take the three-game series after floundering late in a 4-3 loss Saturday.
—CBS News, 31 May 2026
But the decision to overhaul the network’s top show, especially with its evening newscast and morning show still floundering, is a major risk to take.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2026
Russia’s spring offensive is floundering as Ukraine’s midrange drone strikes disrupt its rear supply lines, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
—Susie Blann, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
France’s floundering President Emmanuel Macron isn’t doing much better.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Through the first seven games after the Red Sox’s coaching purge — which included hitting coach Peter Fatse, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson and major-league hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin — Boston’s offense is still floundering.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 3 May 2026
Reconstruction in the South was floundering.
—Fergus M. Bordewich, Time, 30 Apr. 2026
The additional billions that Moscow has reaped because of the Iran war is easing some pressure off Russia’s floundering economy and the Kremlin’s ability to finance the conflict in Ukraine.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for floundering
Adjective
-
The state graded the campus an F for three consecutive years, meaning two more failing grades could trigger an intervention.—
Noah Alcala Bach,
San Antonio Express-News,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
After more than five innings of the Bulldogs trailing Liberty by one, struggling to get anything going, the Georgia third baseman crushed a two-run home run to left field.—
Sarah Spencer,
AJC.com,
1 June 2026
-
Hezbollah's use of hard-to-detect fiber optic drones has been deadly for the Israeli military, which is struggling to respond.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Having gone into hiding, Walt ultimately manages to make some things right before shuffling off the mortal coil.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
-
The move comes one year after the team promoted Saleh to general manager after another round of shuffling in its front office.—
Lauren Williams,
AJC.com,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Garden centers aren't giving a refund for a dying or dead plant but rather a discount on a new purchase.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
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This includes people who do not know each other and who did not coordinate with one another to gather all somehow separately, hearing about Manhattanhenge (or simply stumbling across the crowd) and enjoying the view together.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
1 June 2026
-
The video then shows Henderson stumbling towards a wall in the area, where someone can be seen calling for help.—
Brittney Ermon,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Shouting, slamming doors and feet stomping are some of the noises that concern many home bakers anxiously awaiting a baking cake.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
As anyone who's come within a hundred miles of the city will tell you, Nashville is a live-music mecca, overflowing with boot-stomping, fiddle-playing entertainment.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
The skyway corridors with highest density sit directly atop the most languishing streetscapes, Spencer said, and vice versa.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
While pruning, remove any winter damage, along with dead and declining growths, to allow new shoots to reform the plant.—
Tom MacCubbin,
orlandosentinel.com,
6 Mar. 2021
-
In order to reopen, counties must demonstrate declining prevalence of COVID-19, testing ability of 30 tests per 10,000 residents per week, contact tracing and isolation facilities.—
Fox News,
Fox News,
15 May 2020
Cite this Entry
“Floundering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floundering. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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