Synonyms of foundered

foundered

verb

past tense of founder

1

as in collapsed

to be unsuccessful

the theater company foundered after its corporate funding dried up

Synonyms & Similar Words

• collapsed
• flopped
• failed
• folded
• struggled
• missed
• bombed
• tanked
• flunked
• struck out
• cratered
• fell flat
• fell short
• came up empty
• laid an egg
• floundered
• came to grief
• came a cropper
• crashed
• flamed out
• declined
• washed out
• died on the vine
• slipped
• waned
• fell on one's face
• crumbled
• skidded
• slumped
• sank
• misfired
• miscarried
• imploded
• went under
• self-destructed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• succeeded
• went
• delivered
• worked out
• went over
• clicked
• came off
• flourished
• prospered
• thrived
• cooked
• prevailed
• won
• triumphed
• panned out

2

as in tumbled

to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure

the twin towers started to sway and suddenly foundered

Synonyms & Similar Words

• collapsed
• tumbled
• went
• crumpled
• died
• yielded
• buckled
• shattered
• went out
• crumbled
• gave
• melted
• imploded
• crashed
• gave way
• failed
• stalled
• broke
• flattened
• caved (in)
• smashed
• snapped
• cracked
• popped
• deflated
• splintered
• burst
• split
• gave out
• broke down
• melted down
• conked (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rose
• swelled
• inflated

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of foundered

But these initial efforts largely foundered, failing to establish sufficient trading interest or a deep retail market, in part due to competition from already-liquid options markets. — Bruce Blythe, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026

Bad schools foundered in part because there weren’t enough wealthy parents holding the institutions accountable. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026

Even before this high-profile addition to his staff, Chesney was already building early momentum in his significant rebuilding project at a program that has foundered over the past decade. — Greg Beacham, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026

Previous attempts to reach an agreement have foundered amid mutual suspicion and each side's insistence that the other must move first. — Nidal Al-Mughrabi, USA Today, 31 July 2026

On screen, some of our best artists have foundered in translation. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026

But the president didn’t make clear why a federal takeover of a small airline that has foundered for years would be an efficient use of capital or benefit American taxpayers. — Editorial, Boston Herald, 2 May 2026

The site contains remains from multiple vessels, suggesting a history of merchant ships that likely foundered in the same treacherous area while approaching the shore. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026

Courts have interpreted Section 230 immunity broadly, and many earlier attempts to hold platforms accountable for child harm have foundered on it. — Carolina Rossini, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026