floundering 1 of 2

adjective

as in failing

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floundering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of flounder
1
as in struggling
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually unprepared choristers who floundered helplessly through the musical number

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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of floundering
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
The Los Angeles Sparks are floundering around that midway mark. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2026 Today, while the CARE program is floundering, CVAP continues to expand. — Thomas J. Dart, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026 An opening on the lower end would leave the tropical film floundering under the weight of its massive $250 million production budget, plus global marketing costs. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 10 July 2026 But the lack of competitive consequences for floundering clubs does very little to muffle those pushing for pro/rel. — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 The opportunity to elect a Democrat has generated enthusiasm within the Utah Democratic Party in an era when sentiment for the national party is floundering. — Saige Miller, NPR, 22 June 2026 Billy Joel was floundering as a recording artist when Davis signed him in 1973. — Jason Kravarik, CNN Money, 22 June 2026 One day after optioning struggling rookie Andrew Painter to Triple-A, the Phillies are sending down another floundering pitcher. — Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 18 June 2026 In 2020, when many saw in Joe Biden a floundering candidate, a loose coalition of black women activists saw an opportunity. — Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 15 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for floundering
  1. failing
  2. struggling
  3. shuffling
  4. dying
  5. stumbling
  6. stomping
  7. languishing
  8. declining
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
Definition of failing
Verb
  • Small businesses are struggling to hire, with 62% trying to fill positions but 84% unable to find qualified applicants, revealing a significant skills gap.
    — Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026
  • The country is currently struggling with unemployment of around 8%, the UN estimates, and inflation that is running at what the World Bank estimates to be more than 40%.
    — Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of struggling
Verb
  • Burke piles fascinating shuffling sounds on top, invoking a quiet scuffle, maybe some cardboard boxes being knocked over in a storage space.
    — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026
  • The Chicago Cubs have been shuffling the lower levels of their organization ahead of the trade deadline, looking to recapture some strong momentum from the beginning of the season to help drive a playoff push in the second half.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of shuffling
Adjective
  • What’s the vibe for you, post-dying?
    — Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 22 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of dying
Verb
  • The huge animals knocked bodies to the cobblestones, and stumbling runners caused several pileups during the two-and-a-half-minute run from the pen to the bull ring where bullfighters will kill the bulls later in the day.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
  • The huge animals knocked down bodies to the cobblestones, and stumbling runners caused several pileups during the 2½-minute run from the pen to the bullring where bullfighters would kill the bulls later in the day.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of stumbling
Verb
  • There was so much color, all these beautiful headdresses, and the male dancers were stomping their legs to mimic the drums.
    — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
  • The name Chelydra serpentina evokes colossal reptiles stomping through ancient forests.
    — Hannah Smith July 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 July 2026
Definition of stomping
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
Definition of languishing
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
Definition of declining

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Cite this Entry

“Floundering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floundering. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of floundering for Spanish Speakers

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