1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of fluttering
Use vibrant purple verbena to make a big statement along the top of a retaining wall, or employ heat-tolerant lantana to attract butterflies, our favorite garden fluttering friends.
—
Steve Bender, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
Putting up a hummingbird feeder in your garden or on your balcony or porch is a way to entice these fast-fluttering birds to visit.
—Lauren David, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2026
Elke and Alysia started seeing the big bugs fluttering around in late April, and as their numbers grew through early May, the native rainbows started keying in on them more and more.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
So In Love, she’s been twirling around in the loose, fluttering silhouette, a signature of her preppy-meets-edgy style.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fluttering
Steve Bender, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
Putting up a hummingbird feeder in your garden or on your balcony or porch is a way to entice these fast-fluttering birds to visit.
—Lauren David, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2026
Elke and Alysia started seeing the big bugs fluttering around in late April, and as their numbers grew through early May, the native rainbows started keying in on them more and more.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
So In Love, she’s been twirling around in the loose, fluttering silhouette, a signature of her preppy-meets-edgy style.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fluttering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fluttering
Verb
-
Arnaldi turned into some version of Carlos Alcaraz, scrambling all over the court, making miracle saves and darting winners down the line.—
Ava Wallace,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
In between takes while filming Cocktail (1988), the actor saw costar Elisabeth Shue darting toward a helicopter's tail rotor — which, when in motion, is barely visible and thus instantly lethal.—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
The fathers, faces ruddy, prayed in Latin for her soul, black robes flapping in the wind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
-
There is a whole class of flying machine known as Ornithopters with flapping wings, most of which have been notably unsuccessful.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Early mornings at Mukwa are quiet, with mist rising off the river and birds flitting along the river bank.—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
-
In the garden, bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies can be found flitting among the dazzling blooms.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
In doing so dancing, much like writing, becomes an act of generational integration and re-membering.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
The video went viral of us just dancing and having fun with the song.—
Lucas Villa,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Kamara found it a couple of hours before kick-off when flicking through a copy of the matchday programme.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
-
The dragons stalk the island, flicking their huge tongues in hopes of picking up the scent of a deer, wild boar, or water buffalo — the latter two species introduced by humans — or rodents and other smaller reptiles, including baby Komodo dragons.—
Craig Stanford,
Big Think,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fluttering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fluttering. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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