1
as in to stumble
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
unprepared choristers who floundered helplessly through the musical number
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily
the car floundered through the heavy wet snow, constantly getting stuck
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flounder
In The Studio, Matt Remick (Rogen) is appointed CEO of the floundering Continental Studios, trying to balance his dreams of making great films with the harsh realities of an increasingly IP and AI-driven industry that prioritizes profit over quality.
—
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Volpe is once again floundering at the plate after a brief hot streak post-All-Star Game.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
The booster catches have been one of the bright spots for the Starship program as progress on the rocket's upper stage floundered.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2025
Google Assistant is also floundering, with many users complaining about broken features.
—PC Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flounder
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Volpe is once again floundering at the plate after a brief hot streak post-All-Star Game.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
The booster catches have been one of the bright spots for the Starship program as progress on the rocket's upper stage floundered.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2025
Google Assistant is also floundering, with many users complaining about broken features.
—PC Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flounder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flounder
Verb
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Without a strategic game plan, even the strongest efforts can stumble before crossing the finish line.—
Rohit Shrivastava,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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TikToker Callie Rose Bedford, known as @calrose5, stumbled on the vase during a shopping trip and shared what happened next in a video that has more than 7 million views.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Gakpo is deeper, and Wirtz pushes forward as the central member of Liverpool’s forward line, while Ekitike shuffles across as the left of the trio.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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Declining enrollment means the district may need to shuffle schools, students, or teachers to ensure each school is well attended, and the student-teacher ratios are well-balanced.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Traditional data lakes can store raw data at scale but lack quality controls, while warehouses enforce structure but struggle with unstructured or fast changing data.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Almost half of those who abided by boundaries (45%) reported low burnout, compared to 6% of those who struggled to do so.—
Samantha Dewalt,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Most tourists don't come to Abu Dhabi to put on a thick coat and stomp around a snowy landscape but theme park fans are the exception.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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That certainly looked to be the case as the Indianapolis Colts stomped the Miami Dolphins 33-8 in the regular-season opener.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The frame can hold up to 650 pounds, while the fabric sloughs away dirt, drizzle, even the occasional spill of wine.—
Francesca Krempa,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
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With a base of nourishing ginseng water, the formula also contains 2% niacinamide to control oil production and fade dark spots, as well as 0.5% beta hydroxy acid to gently resurface skin and slough away dead skin cells.—
Deanna Pai,
Vogue,
24 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flounder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flounder. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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