1
as in collapsing
to be unsuccessful
the theater company foundered after its corporate funding dried up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tumbling
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure
the twin towers started to sway and suddenly foundered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of foundering
Elliot Haspel, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2025
Dino Grandoni The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
Any major foundering in New Mexico could have long-lasting consequences.
—Elliot Haspel, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
Dinosaurs were flourishing, not foundering, as kings of the Cretaceous right up until the end, according to the new study.
—Dino Grandoni The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foundering
Noun
-
The Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking was quick.—
Stephen J. Beard,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Yet unlike the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, where many wealthy and influential passengers lost their lives, the Valbanera tragedy did not capture the public’s imagination and soon seemed to be forgotten.—
Raul A. Reyes,
NBC news,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Reservoirs supplying Tehran and other urban centers have dropped to critically low levels, while agricultural production in the nation’s most fertile regions is collapsing, threatening food security and rural livelihoods.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Dorzon had been shot 11 times and his girlfriend had also been hit, collapsing on the front lawn.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
His true self comes tumbling out in between every lie, and that’s because Macfadyen makes sure of it.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Each match consists of three rounds of competition, with rounds one and two featuring cheerleading skills including stunts, basket tosses, and tumbling in head-to-head, bracket-style rounds.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Rams 23, 49ers 20 Lock of the Week Much was made this week about the Bills failing to acquire a wide receiver at the trade deadline and whether that handicaps their Super Bowl chances.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
8 Nov. 2025
-
There was excessive growth of microtubules that wasn’t caused by an increase in gene activity, but likely due to the cells failing to clear away old or misfolded proteins.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In the video, the mako shark bursts from the water and lands on the bow of the boat, flopping around before coming to rest near the front of the vessel.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Van Gogh, now visually fitting in with his family, then scampered about his habitat with his ears flopping along with him.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Advertisement Her victory also carries national implications for Democrats, who are struggling to chart a path between progressive energy and centrist caution ahead of the 2026 midterms.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Always Greener, which scored 15 nominations on the annual Brit List, is a high concept script that follows a struggling artist, haunted by past failure, who is given a one-in-a-million chance to become his rich and successful doppelganger from a parallel universe.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Listed by Carmen Galzerano of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, the six-bedroom, nine-bath home offers roughly 11,700 square feet across three levels punctuated with arched doorways, sliding wrought-iron and glass barn doors, and folding walls of glass.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Critics were quick to accuse the Democratic defectors of folding despite holding an arguably strong position on the shutdown.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Despite posting one of the highest payrolls in all of baseball, the Mets ended up missing the postseason following a 4-0 loss to the Miami Marlins in the last game of the regular season.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
-
There was always at least one letter missing from the words Racquet Club on the outside of the building.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foundering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foundering. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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