FLUTTER Synonyms: 105 Similar and Opposite Words

flutter 1 of 2

noun

Definition of flutter

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

as in chance

chiefly British a risky undertaking most people regard the lottery as a harmless flutter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sure thing

flutter

2 of 2

verb

ˈflə-tər

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

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

There’s even a flicker setting that emulates the dreamy flutter of a real flame. — Gear Team, Wired News, 16 June 2026 Seasonal sprites flit and flutter, providing transitional scenes, hinting at mystical elements whizzing all around within this otherwise very human plot. — Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026

Verb

At Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove, nature lovers can watch monarch butterflies flutter through the eucalyptus trees from November to February. — Sacbee.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Iridescent peacock feathers showcase these dynamics, as well as the thousands of butterflies that flutter throughout Dollywood every year. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flutter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flutter

Noun

The move by the shop owner launched a flurry of online discourse about the tripod-wielding gaggle of usually young, almost always female influencers who parade their phones around in the hopes of building, or nurturing, a gainful following.

— Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 9 Sep. 2026
Amid the flurry of decisions, Missouri Republicans have seized on the federal one that favored their side.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of flurry

Noun

The Seattle Seahawks have gotten an offseason full of congratulations, their Super Bowl rings and now will get the chance to see the banner raised before kicking off this season with hopes of repeating.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
There was one big first-half chance that went begging, Callum Doyle’s flick-on leaving the Wales international with just goalkeeper Max Weiss to beat, but his close-range header was tipped over.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of chance

Verb

Behold the plight of the Ryan Murphy character, cursed to behave nonsensically and flit wildly from plotline to plotline based on the writer’s whims.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
City juggled negotiations with Gakpo and Ndiaye in the past seven days, enabling them to flit between the two depending on who was most desired or, in the event, most realistic.

— Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of flit

Verb

Above the dancers flapped a ring of American flags, each representing a military veteran from the community who had passed away.

— Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Thanks in part to a National Science Foundation (NSF) fellowship, Drew explored several designs for flying and became interested in creating robots that flap their wings in a way similar to real-life creatures.

— Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of flap

Noun

That flexibility makes flow batteries particularly relevant to long-duration storage, where systems may need to deliver electricity for several hours rather than simply provide short bursts of backup power.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2026
Could Civale maybe be used in shorter bursts, meaning he could be used more often?

— Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of burst

Verb

Nix darted to his right at the snap as Harvey ran a flat route toward the front pylon.

— Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
In no particular order, Elsinore darts in and out of various phases of Charleson’s life during this period, but Stone manages the tonal balance expertly.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of dart

Browse Nearby Words

flutists

flutter

fluttered

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Style

“Flutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flutter. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of flutter

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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