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
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
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Recent Examples of flutter
Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
As track one begins, a copy of the script flutters down from the ceiling.
—Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Mar. 2026
Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Iran’s flag before the 1979 revolution — green, white and red with a lion and a rising sun — flutters from many overhangs.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flutter
Noun
The flutter became a pulse, spreading throughout her body.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
As track one begins, a copy of the script flutters down from the ceiling.
—Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
Homemade fan art of Jacks, the series’s love interest, fluttered out of a collector’s-edition case.
—Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Iran’s flag before the 1979 revolution — green, white and red with a lion and a rising sun — flutters from many overhangs.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flutter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flutter
Noun
-
The flurry of headlines about what was left out of the film—most obviously, the 1993 lawsuit that accused Jackson of molesting a 13-year-old, and subsequent lawsuits alleging similar abuse—also haven’t mattered.—
Jemele Hill,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
-
Kieffer acknowledged, however, that the board’s attorneys were looking into the flurry of legal questions regarding the referendum and the map.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Water aficionados will enjoy the chance to experience the ins and outs of the lake, thanks to five full-service marinas along the twisting shoreline, more than four times the length of Georgia’s Atlantic coast.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
16 May 2026
-
But, over the past few months, Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) have been working on a bipartisan bill that would be introduced on the Senate floor that would actually have a chance at being pushed past the barriers that currently exist on both sides.—
Trey Wallace,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
In the garden, bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies can be found flitting among the dazzling blooms.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
-
The vibe is old Key West to the max, with a tropical interior courtyard where a patio overlooks the pool and butterflies flit.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The place is a sound-effects recording studio, with three sound designers creating and dubbing aural effects — footsteps on a sandy beach, flapping bird wings — onto pieces of film footage.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
14 May 2026
-
The tents were flapping about in two or three feet of water.—
Ben East,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
All over the dress, shimmering sequins created bursts of firework-like patterning, with varied tones of metallic silver.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
17 May 2026
-
The Tempo went on a 10-0 burst heading into the second quarter but the Sparks countered to maintain momentum and led 46-38 at halftime.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Asking multiple first- and second-year players to block for a quarterback who will turn 43 in December is a big gamble.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
With the game already gone gold, the delay risk that usually makes pre-orders a gamble is off the table.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Like a vibrantly hued snake darting down the narrow branch of a tree, the collective of high-performance automobiles rapidly navigates the narrow, serpentine artery along the Northeastern Italian coast, a quicksilver-like tracing of the border between Il Bel Paese and Slovenia.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
11 May 2026
-
In the fourth quarter with the game on the line, Blair called a loose-ball foul on the Cavs and Atkinson hated the call, but rather than scream or dart toward the official, Atkinson just sort of stood near his bench, staring at Blair and shaking his head.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
In fossil fuel extraction zones — the Permian Basin in Texas, the Bakken fields of North Dakota, oil regions across the Middle East — lights flicker violently in sync with drilling booms and busts, bearing little relation to broader economic trends.—
Bree Shirvell,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
-
Then the northern flickers, which consume ants, can visit your lawn and find something to eat.—
Sheryl De Vore,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flutter. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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