flounder

[floun-der] / ˈflaʊn dər /

VERB

struggle; be in the dark

Synonyms

STRONGEST

flop stumble wallow

STRONG

blunder bobble flummox fumble grope labor lurch muddle plunge pratfall snafu strive thrash toil toss travail tumble

WEAK

cast about come apart at the seams drop the ball fall down foul up go at backwards go to pieces make a mess of miss one's cue screw up slip up stub one's toe trip up work at

Antonyms

STRONG

idle laze

WEAK

do well succeed

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“The Little Sister” grows even more intriguing once the love affair runs aground, forcing Fatima to flounder in her heartache.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026

As for the stuffed flounder, he said those staffers were returning from a work conference and could spend their per-diem food allowance as they wished.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Or, with no party organisation behind him, he could flounder.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

He didn’t even like seafood until puberty — “back then it was only flounder or sole for me” — but as an adult, he’s circled back to the foods of his childhood.

From Salon • Dec. 14, 2025

I flounder through the water, the edges of the ice breaking off as I step.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Vocabulary lists containing flounder

List 2

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"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell

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A Vocabulary Bestiary: Animals That Behave as Verbs

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