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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of flounder
But his floundering presence in the centre of the Etihad pitch is emblematic of the club's struggles.
—
Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 24 Nov. 2024
Now, the fates of those snails have taken a positive turn: In the last decade or so, scientists found live members of species long thought to be extinct on the islands, kicking off a flurry of rescue initiatives for these floundering mollusks.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Dec. 2024
From there, though, Atlanta lost four straight and fell behind Tampa Bay (8-6) in the division as Cousins floundered.
—Josh Kendall, The Athletic, 18 Dec. 2024
But if Carter hadn’t also believed and trusted in Davis, the national 55 mph speed limit effort might have floundered and eventually failed.
—Doug Melville, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for flounder 
Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 24 Nov. 2024
Now, the fates of those snails have taken a positive turn: In the last decade or so, scientists found live members of species long thought to be extinct on the islands, kicking off a flurry of rescue initiatives for these floundering mollusks.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Dec. 2024
From there, though, Atlanta lost four straight and fell behind Tampa Bay (8-6) in the division as Cousins floundered.
—Josh Kendall, The Athletic, 18 Dec. 2024
But if Carter hadn’t also believed and trusted in Davis, the national 55 mph speed limit effort might have floundered and eventually failed.
—Doug Melville, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for flounder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flounder
Verb
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During his Inauguration performance, Billy Ray seemed to stumble through his performance with major technical difficulties.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
23 Jan. 2025
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Both players refused to release the ball in an epic battle for possession, the players stumbling toward the TCU student section.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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As he’s been awaiting trial in Charlotte since his arrest in 2012 on a first-degree murder charge, Perkins has been shuffled between the Mecklenburg County jail, Broughton Hospital, Central Prison, and Central Regional Hospital dozens of times.—
Kallie Cox,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Jan. 2025
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Players can shuffle and rearrange the board of words to help them with guessing the connections.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Kansas City’s defense has struggled to stop quarterback runs.—
Sam Farmer,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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The group also struggled to find its place in the broader far-right ecosystem, with some chapters cozying up to even more extreme factions like neo-Nazis as others sought legitimacy by seeking alliances with conservative influencers.—
Tess Owen,
WIRED,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Now, a group of penguins in Australia are stomping all over their love-bird reputation through cheating scandals and divorce — and wildlife experts are worried.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
21 Jan. 2025
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The Ravens stomped the visiting Bills, 35-10, in Week 4.—
Jeff Howe,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore-Minimizing & Polishing Powder Cleanser offers just enough grit to slough off dead skin.—
Lisa DeSantis,
Glamour,
29 Dec. 2024
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This solid shower oil also contains citric acid, a light chemical exfoliator that sloughs away dead skin.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Allure,
30 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near flounder
Cite this Entry
“Flounder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flounder. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
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