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

Water rushed in through the openings, and the ship foundered so quickly that most of the 500 men onboard were lost. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 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

Authentic specializes in acquiring and investing in famous retail properties that have foundered. — Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 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

The Eagles entered the 2025 season with a top-tier roster and foundered with an insufficient offensive system. — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026

The kid who gets straight A’s through high school may struggle more in college than the one who foundered in ninth grade, figured out what went wrong, and then kept going. — Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026