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fluster

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb fluster contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of fluster are agitate, discompose, disquiet, disturb, perturb, and upset. While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

When might agitate be a better fit than fluster?

The words agitate and fluster can be used in similar contexts, but agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

When would discompose be a good substitute for fluster?

While in some cases nearly identical to fluster, discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

When could disquiet be used to replace fluster?

The synonyms disquiet and fluster are sometimes interchangeable, but disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

When can disturb be used instead of fluster?

In some situations, the words disturb and fluster are roughly equivalent. However, disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

In what contexts can perturb take the place of fluster?

Although the words perturb and fluster have much in common, perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

When is upset a more appropriate choice than fluster?

While the synonyms upset and fluster are close in meaning, upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

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 fluster
Noun
There’s cringe comedy in their fluster opposite her flamboyant imbecility. Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2023 In the 4 1/2 games Chubb missed, the Browns had their quarterback win a game (Bengals), needed last-second heroics from Odell Beckham Jr. in Dallas, and had the defense fluster Colts quarterback Phillip Rivers into two interceptions and a safety. Ellis L. Williams, cleveland, 12 Nov. 2020
Verb
Max Fried doesn’t get flustered. Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 Many of the world’s best players left flustered by Pete and Alice Dye’s grand examination. Justin Ray, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fluster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fluster
Noun
  • Heck, even fear of long lines at bars and clubs have been downgraded from panic to the typical annoyance.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 17 May 2025
  • In 2019, staff at a facility in Phoenix called 911 in a panic after a patient—who was reportedly vegetative but may have been minimally conscious—unexpectedly gave birth.
    Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • However, severe cases of extremely high blood pressure may lead to symptoms resembling anxiety or panic, such as headache, vision changes, vomiting, confusion, shortness of breath, or chest discomfort or pain.
    Angela Ryan Lee, Health, 15 May 2025
  • This program was designed to provide shorter, clearer letters to reduce taxpayer confusion.
    Cindy McGhee, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • Johnson’s predecessor, Larry Robinson, resigned last year amid fallout from a fake $237 million donation scandal that embarrassed the school on the national stage.
    Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 17 May 2025
  • What’s made the 18th so fun this week is its ability — even for just a second — to embarrass the best golfers on the planet.
    Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • The chute opens, and rambunctious No. 2 bursts out with an impatient huff.
    Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Volunteers were charged around 25 cents per huff, bringing in good profit for those who’d invested in the necessary gas tanks, tubes, and breathing bags.
    Oshan Jarow, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Noun
  • While not a fatal setback, Merz's failure to win parliamentary backing at the first time of asking is a first for post-war Germany and an embarrassment for a man who has promised to revive economic growth at a time of global turbulence.
    Kirsti Knolle, USA Today, 7 May 2025
  • In addition to losing their incomes, the suit says, the plaintiffs did not report Robinson to authorities for fear of reprisal and public embarrassment.
    Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 6 May 2025
Verb
  • While no one should ever have confused the entertainment business with a warm binkie, the institutions themselves are in the new and awkward spot of having to justify their existence.
    Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 12 May 2025
  • All of the footage from The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon makes the show-within-a-show look silly, which the series confuses with humorousness.
    Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2025
Noun
  • The deep pockets add both style and practicality—great for a mom to put her card and keys in without the fuss of a purse.
    Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 15 May 2025
  • With plug-and-play simplicity, USB-C connectivity and cross-platform compatibility with Macs, PCs, iOS and Android devices, users can record using the M-Track Duo HD with very little setup or fuss.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • The brutal stabbings rattled Moscow, a city of 25,000 people that hadn’t recorded a murder since 2015.
    Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 15 May 2025
  • But the winds of change in Colorado caused this particular branch in Blue to rattle and sway.
    Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fluster. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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