flustering 1 of 2

adjective

as in embarrassing
causing embarrassment a flustering situation that left us all silent

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flustering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of fluster
as in confusing
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress was flustered when her parents dragged out her baby pictures for her new boyfriend

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 flustering
Verb
The Pistons’ defense is swarming and flustering the Cavs. — Zach Harper, New York Times, 8 May 2026 But Seymour threw on a press, flustering the Patriots, who began to turn the ball over. — Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026 In the first half the Horned Frogs were successful in flustering the freshman. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flustering
  1. embarrassing
  2. confusing
  3. awkward
  4. rattling
  5. uncomfortable
  6. disconcerting
  7. unpleasant
  8. difficult
Adjective
  • Saying as much, then visibly tightening that process with its haulage partners, is how an embarrassing accident becomes evidence that someone is actually minding the shop.
    — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • The embarrassing display was especially difficult for the scores of young performers who had been at the show’s lavish world premiere in Los Angeles just weeks before and who had considered the project their big break.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 July 2026
Definition of embarrassing
Verb
  • One of the biggest mistakes students make is confusing a loan approval with an affordability recommendation.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Meta’s new cloud business — selling excess compute capacity to outside customers — is confusing on its face.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of confusing
Adjective
  • And having everyone try to speak in English with Greek accents (not that the Greeks 2700 years ago would have sounded like Greeks do today) would have been awkward.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • If the process had advanced to a hearing, the Blues would have been put in the awkward position of having to build a case against him.
    — Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of awkward
Verb
  • Though brief, Yoon’s martial law declaration plunged South Korea into a political crisis, paralyzing politics and high-level diplomacy while rattling financial markets.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 2026
  • High yields worldwide have been rattling investors since the war sent oil prices bursting above $100 per barrel in March.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of rattling
Adjective
  • No one really wants to keep wearing their stiff, uncomfortable boots after arriving back at camp following a long, challenging day on the trail.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 July 2026
  • There are staffers uncomfortable with the politics of the deal, worried that political interference could alter CNN’s coverage in a meaningful way.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026
Definition of uncomfortable
Verb
  • This imbalance is perhaps not expressly disconcerting much of the time.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
  • There was also some disconcerting history to consider.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of disconcerting
Adjective
  • Anyone concerned about coming down with this very unpleasant sickness should avoid lettuces for the time being, says Rabia de Latour, a gastroenterologist at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 15 July 2026
  • Like them, his music seesaws between aggressive and playful, between crowd-pleasing and purposefully unpleasant.
    — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • Her protectiveness of the island stretches back years, in part because Nantucket saved her, in a way, during a difficult time in her life.
    — Wendy Naugle, USA Today, 11 July 2026
  • In the book, Hollis asks Gigi to stay after a difficult conversation about the affair.
    — Max Gao, Variety, 11 July 2026
Definition of difficult

Browse Nearby Words

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flustering
flusters
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Cite this Entry

“Flustering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flustering. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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