Definitions

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.

He soon made his stage debut playing Flounder in a production of “The Little Mermaid” as part of that program.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

Either of these could be an explanation for why Ariel's only friends are Flounder and Scuttle instead of other merpeople.

From Salon • Sep. 18, 2023

This is what animation should do: wow us with expressive, impossible wonders rather than reimagining Flounder from “The Little Mermaid” as a photorealistic fish.

From New York Times • Jun. 15, 2023

Among the voice actors, Daveed Diggs plays the crab Sebastian, Awkwafina is the diving bird Scuttle, and Jacob Tremblay is the fish Flounder.

From Reuters • May 24, 2023

And I’m signing my name on the back of a stack of store-bought valentines with Ariel and Flounder on them.

From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy

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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