FLUTTERING Synonyms: 51 Similar and Opposite Words

fluttering

verb

Definition of fluttering

present participle of flutter

as in darting

to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements a lonely butterfly fluttering across the lawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in flapping

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 fluttering The sky was alive with millions of fluttering shapes, congregating into clouds at random, occasionally turning into ribbons that wound through the trees. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026 Both are excellent as women emerging from a pupa of damage and tentatively fluttering their wings. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026 But Curls Ultra aren’t solely interested in resurrecting the mysticism of the past or indulging in the parties of the present, the occasional fluttering flute solo or boisterous sax line notwithstanding. — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 26 June 2026 Red, black and gold flags are flying from car bonnets and fluttering on balconies, especially on matchdays. — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 26 June 2026 In Second Nature, scientists theorize that Darwin couldn’t help but impose his own heterosexual ideations on animal reproduction, mainly that animals only copulate for the purposes of reproduction, with males being the aggressors and females fluttering their eyelids behind lace fans, or something. — Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2026 Since most butterflies live a short time, fluttering between colorful flowers for a few weeks before dying, a few rare exceptions have stumped scientists. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 19 June 2026 Butterflies fluttering in your stomach. — David Oliver, USA Today, 17 June 2026 The garment hugged her midsection in before fluttering out over her hips. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 15 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fluttering

Verb

The site points out that dogs sticking their head or paws out the window could lead to them darting out or getting injured, and the brand says pets should be restricted to the backseat.

— Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026
Photos shared by the city on social media show the presence of law enforcement among the crowd, including a moment of what appears to be people darting from a firework going off near 23rd Street.

— Paris Barraza, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Definition of darting

Verb

Maybe the manager didn’t feel like flapping their arms to dry them, seeing as how the cookline handwash sink didn’t have paper towels or a blower.

— David J. Neal July 24, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
Generally, to be considered autistic, a person must have exhibited social difficulties and repetitive behaviors—such as hand-flapping and spinning—from before the age of 5.

— Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026

Definition of flapping

Verb

An airy, not-too-sweet vanilla like Taunt is the perfect encapsulation of a Gemini who’s always flitting from one topic of interest to the next.

— Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 14 July 2026
Within moments, someone pointed out a starling flitting across the hazy sky.

— Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026

Definition of flitting

Verb

Mizuno herself was a ballet dancer and trained at the Royal Ballet School before dancing with companies including English National Ballet, Dresden Semperoper Ballet and Scottish Ballet.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 30 July 2026
And going back to movies, the Michael Jackson biopic Michael turned a cinema screening into a concert-like experience, with viewers singing, dancing and transforming the theater into an impromptu dance floor.

— Kian Bakhtiari, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of dancing

Verb

Another flash of brilliance came against St Louis City last season, another sensational assist, this one coming from flicking the ball through a defender with a sort of dynamic, Cruyff turn/backheel hybrid move, through to Matheus Nascimento.

— Nick Miller, New York Times, 31 July 2026
His violent men — Scott’s sinister dad and Melton’s sad one — light cigarettes by flicking matches on their ears and teeth.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026

Definition of flicking

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fluttered

fluttering

flutters

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“Fluttering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fluttering. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of fluttering

verb

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