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
Keep your eyes open for Martial and Mallow scrub-hairstreaks, lyside sulphurs, malachites, and a variety of skippers fluttering among the blooms.
—
Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 7 Dec. 2025
Anaheim took charge with a four-goal second period that featured a franchise-record 27 shots on Chicago's net, capped by Carlsson's 15th goal on a fluttering deflection for a 5-0 lead.
—CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
Change Outdoor Lighting Spiders aren’t attracted to lighting, but they are attracted to the moths, flies, and other insects fluttering around it.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 4 Dec. 2025
Reagan's expression of glee was no doubt due to the fact that this encounter went markedly better than his first with a turkey, when the bird went wild on him, fluttering around madly until handlers could placate it.
—Alex Heigl, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fluttering
Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 7 Dec. 2025
Anaheim took charge with a four-goal second period that featured a franchise-record 27 shots on Chicago's net, capped by Carlsson's 15th goal on a fluttering deflection for a 5-0 lead.
—CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
Change Outdoor Lighting Spiders aren’t attracted to lighting, but they are attracted to the moths, flies, and other insects fluttering around it.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 4 Dec. 2025
Reagan's expression of glee was no doubt due to the fact that this encounter went markedly better than his first with a turkey, when the bird went wild on him, fluttering around madly until handlers could placate it.
—Alex Heigl, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fluttering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fluttering
Verb
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Swinging from the overhanging branches and darting through the woods, the animals were heading toward a nearby housing project, their pink faces lit with glee.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
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But such is the lightning pace of Mbappe that he might be best placed dropping deeper during build-up before darting in-behind.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While images of retinas bursting with color and a dove flapping its wings on an outstretched human hand looped behind them, the two allowed the crowd to grow denser while bobbing along to their rhythms.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
6 Nov. 2025
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Gauzy curtains that have blown into a tree are flapping in the wind.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Pulse is a ghost story, featuring two interwoven storylines about young Tokyoites who begin to see and hear strange apparitions flitting across their computer screens.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
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The spaces are smaller, with lower benches, and the older players, flitting between dressing rooms for U14s and U12s, have had to take their belongings home each day rather than leave them in lockers due to the carousel of teams moving in and out.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Everyone was dancing, sweating out their edges, and singing every word.—
Sandy Pierre,
Refinery29,
7 Nov. 2025
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After the announcement, Musk celebrated the vote on a stage at the shareholder meeting, dancing and laughing alongside a pair of robots.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Freddie Freeman won an eight-pitch tussle with Gausman by flicking a two-out double into the right-field corner.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
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While a wagging dog’s tail might indicate excitement or friendliness, a flicking cat’s tail can signal irritation.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fluttering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fluttering. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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