flutter 1 of 2

noun

Definition of flutternext
1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity the site saw a flutter of construction last month, but nothing's happening now

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chance
chiefly British a risky undertaking most people regard the lottery as a harmless flutter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flutter

2 of 2

verb

ˈflə-tər How to pronounce flutter (audio)
1
as in to flit
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements a lonely butterfly fluttering across the lawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to flap
to move or cause to move with a striking motion fluttered my eyelashes as I struck up a conversation with the new guy at work

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 flutter
Noun
Its midi length suits a wide range of occasions, and its flutter-style cap sleeves and flared A-line skirt add eye-catching volume. — Aashna Gheewalla, PEOPLE, 22 June 2026 There’s even a flicker setting that emulates the dreamy flutter of a real flame. — Gear Team, Wired News, 16 June 2026
Verb
But no sooner did the words leave his mouth than the man’s eyelids fluttered open. — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026 Of course, her arms matched the uninterrupted movement of her hair, fluttering in front of the cameras. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flutter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flutter
  1. flurry
  2. chance
  3. flit
  4. flap
  5. burst
  6. gamble
  7. dart
  8. flicker
Noun
  • Prop 1’s complexity has led to a flurry of competing TV ads interpreting it in opposite ways.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The executive order was quickly met with a flurry of lawsuits, which resulted in a preliminary injunction blocking the USPS from enforcing any new rules in response to Trump’s order.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of flurry
Noun
  • For Hernandez, the altar is a chance to grieve, remember and find strength in one another.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Ross started the second-half scoring, too, with another two handed flush off a pass from Demary, who started the fast break chance with his second steal of the game.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of chance
Verb
  • Fireflies flit along her path, guiding her toward the safety of her parents’ outstretched arms.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, flit between the two productions.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of flit
Verb
  • Birds chirp in the tree branches above, and a large yellow butterfly alights on a leaf before flapping away into the sloping sunshine.
    — Sophie Neiman, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026
  • That means the bird species flapping around in backyards today are effectively the only surviving dinosaurs.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of flap
Noun
  • This nebula, called the Red Spider Nebula, is scuttling around space while its central star, glowing bright red in the middle, ejects bursts of gas and dust.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2026
  • At the same time, the city has been marked with a recent burst of violence as some criticize Quiroz for failing to carry on her partner’s fight against crime.
    — Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • The Caller’s loss of donors exposes how much of a gamble this has been.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Its Arizona operation is the result of a pre-pandemic gamble Phoenix made to revive its sluggish economy, which never quite rebounded from the Great Recession.
    — Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of gamble
Verb
  • Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and her challenger Nithya Raman darted across the city over the weekend, foraging for votes as the clock ticks down before Tuesday’s election.
    — Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Surfaces glow with darting light, the beehive smoke and silhouettes and flickering neon lulls the viewer to a state conducive to such pondering.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • Some were wearing life vests that had tiny lights that produced the flicker first spotted by Miller.
    — Jaimie Ding, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • But a flicker of annoyance crosses Charli’s brow, as if the question touches a nerve.
    — Nancy Jo Sales, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of flicker

Browse Nearby Words

flutists
flutter
fluttered
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Cite this Entry

“Flutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flutter. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flutter

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flutter

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