flusters 1 of 2

noun

plural of fluster
1
as in huffs
a state of nervous or irritated concern all the yelling on the bus put the driver in a fluster

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in embarrassments
the emotional state of being made self-consciously uncomfortable there was a palpable fluster in the audience when I asked my awkward question

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flusters

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of fluster
as in embarrasses
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 flusters
Verb
Nothing flusters her except dogs barking, and as the story unfolds the reason is easily surmised. — Mary Damiano, Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flusters
  1. huffs
  2. embarrassments
  3. embarrasses
  4. sweats
  5. confusions
  6. confuses
  7. upsets
  8. rattles
Noun
  • David walks out of the kitchen and Moira huffs and takes his spot over the pot.
    — Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
  • As much as Payton bristles about media storylines and huffs about tempo questions, the Broncos went 25 minutes without a first down against Las Vegas.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 22 Nov. 2025
Definition of huffs
Noun
  • Sitting around a table in the soundstage where the pilot for I Love Lucy was filmed, the six of them tailored the roles to the actors and infused the script with arguments, embarrassments, and confessions from their own relationships.
    — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 26 June 2026
  • The order to whitewash America’s historic sites of anything less than rosy about the nation’s past has led to some predictable embarrassments.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
Definition of embarrassments
Verb
  • Graft inquiry embarrasses Zelensky Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office said in a Telegram announcement that the investigation into Yermak is ongoing.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
  • Now the technology embarrasses an umpire even more than a player could, and what’s the recourse?
    — Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of embarrasses
Noun
  • Shields briefly stepped into frame to give Shippy a kiss, keeping it casual in slate gray sweats and oversized aviator sunglasses.
    — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 11 Aug. 2026
  • If only there were a pair of pants that felt just as comfortable as sweats but looked more polished and fashion-forward — oh wait!
    — Melony Forcier, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of sweats
Noun
  • Before the Lost Weekend, John and Yoko had their New York Year — turning their personal confusions into beautifully vivid moments of rage and pain.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
Definition of confusions
Verb
  • Any adversary who confuses media noise with American weakness will discover the truth the hard way.
    — Michael Loria, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
  • These opportunists drown out the core mission, creating a cacophony of competing voices that confuses donors, crowd the inboxes of CEOs and members of Congress with colliding petitions, and paralyzes meaningful action by draining critical funding and attention away from the truly effective groups.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 28 June 2026
Definition of confuses
Noun
  • Advertisement His win comes just weeks after several Democratic socialist and progressive candidates scored major primary upsets against long-term establishment incumbents in safe-blue districts.
    — Nik Popli, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
  • El-Sayed's win is a boon for the left flank of the Democratic Party, which has recently scored upsets in New York and Colorado.
    — Justin Papp, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of upsets
Verb
  • All agree that police abuse of the ALPR system, such as in Milwaukee, rattles the public’s trust.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 26 July 2026
  • As Silicon Valley’s artificial intelligence boom powers America’s economy, rattles its job market, and shapes its national security priorities, political leaders are struggling for traction on how the government should seek to engage the technology, if at all.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 June 2026
Definition of rattles

Browse Nearby Words

flustering
flusters
flute
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Cite this Entry

“Flusters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flusters. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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