Floundering — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective

Meaning & Definition of Floundering

Floundering (verb)

  1. to struggle to move or obtain footing, thrash about wildly
  2. to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

Floundering (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in struggling, failing

    similar: declining, dying, failing, languishing, struggling, depressed, unprosperous, unsuccessful, bankrupt, bankrupted, insolvent
    opposite: booming, boomy, flourishing, golden, halcyon, healthy, lush, palmy, prospering, prosperous, roaring, successful, thriving, affluent, moneyed, opulent, rich, substantial, wealthy, well-heeled, well-off, well-to-do, comfortable

Floundering (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

    "unprepared choristers who floundered helplessly through the musical number"

    similar: blundering, bumbling, flogging (British), limping, lumbering, plodding, struggling, stumbling, trudging
    related: jogging, shambling, shuffling, wallowing, weltering, faltering, lurching, reeling, staggering, swaying, teetering, tottering, fumbling, muddling
    near: coasting, flying, gliding, kilting, sailing, zipping, zooming

  2. to move heavily or clumsily

    "the car floundered through the heavy wet snow, constantly getting stuck"

    similar: barging, clumping, flogging (British), galumphing, lumbering, lumping, plodding, pounding, scuffing, scuffling, shambling, shuffling, slogging, sloughing, stamping, stomping, stumbling, stumping, tramping, tromping, trudging
    related: dragging, flopping, hauling, blundering, careening, doddering, lurching, reeling, staggering, swaying, teetering, tottering, waddling, weaving, wobbling
    opposite: breezing, coasting, gliding, sliding, waltzing, whisking
    near: drifting, floating, hanging, hovering, poising, wafting

Related Entry: Flounder (verb)

Flounder is a different word from Floundering. The synonyms below are for flounder, not for floundering.

  1. to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

    "unprepared choristers who floundered helplessly through the musical number"

    similar: blunder, bumble, flog (British), limp, lumber, plod, struggle, stumble, trudge
    related: jog, shamble, shuffle, wallow, welter, falter, lurch, reel, stagger, sway, teeter, totter, fumble, muddle
    near: coast, fly, glide, kilt, sail, zip, zoom

  2. to move heavily or clumsily

    "the car floundered through the heavy wet snow, constantly getting stuck"

    similar: barge, clump, flog (British), galumph, lumber, lump, plod, pound, scuff, scuffle, shamble, shuffle, slog, slough, stamp, stomp, stumble, stump, tramp, tromp, trudge
    related: drag, flop, haul, blunder, careen, dodder, lurch, reel, stagger, sway, teeter, totter, waddle, weave, wobble
    opposite: breeze, coast, glide, slide, waltz, whisk
    near: drift, float, hang, hover, poise, waft

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Floundering

The most common words with a similar meaning to Floundering:

British: flogging
declining, dying, failing, languishing, struggling, depressed, unprosperous, unsuccessful, bankrupt, bankrupted, insolvent, blundering, bumbling, limping, lumbering, plodding, stumbling, trudging, barging, clumping, galumphing, lumping, pounding, scuffing, scuffling, shambling, shuffling, slogging, sloughing, stamping, stomping, stumping, tramping, tromping

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Floundering

Words with the opposite meaning of Floundering:

booming, boomy, flourishing, golden, halcyon, healthy, lush, palmy, prospering, prosperous, roaring, successful, thriving, affluent, moneyed, opulent, rich, substantial, wealthy, well-heeled, well-off, well-to-do, comfortable, breezing, coasting, gliding, sliding, waltzing, whisking

Related Words for Floundering

jogging, wallowing, weltering, faltering, lurching, reeling, staggering, swaying, teetering, tottering, fumbling, muddling, dragging, flopping, hauling, careening, doddering, waddling, weaving, wobbling

Near Antonyms of Floundering

flying, kilting, sailing, zipping, zooming, drifting, floating, hanging, hovering, poising, wafting

Word Forms of Floundering

Inflections: floundered

Origin & Etymology of Floundering

probably alteration of founder

First known use: 1592

Frequently Asked Questions about Floundering

What does "Floundering" mean?

"Floundering" means to struggle to move or obtain footing, thrash about wildly. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to struggle to move or obtain footing, thrash about wildly. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Floundering"?

Other words for "Floundering" include declining, dying, failing, languishing, struggling, depressed, unprosperous and unsuccessful. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Floundering" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Floundering"?

There are 55 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Floundering". Common alternatives include declining, dying, failing, languishing, struggling, depressed, unprosperous, unsuccessful, bankrupt and bankrupted.

What is the opposite of "Floundering"?

Antonyms of "Floundering" include booming, boomy, flourishing, golden, halcyon, healthy, lush and palmy. Near antonyms include flying, kilting, sailing and zipping.

How do you use "Floundering" in a sentence?

Examples of "Floundering" in a sentence: "unprepared choristers who floundered helplessly through the musical number"; "the car floundered through the heavy wet snow, constantly getting stuck".

Is "Floundering" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Floundering" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

What is the origin of the word "Floundering"?

"Floundering" comes from probably alteration of founder. First known use: 1592.

What is another word for "Floundering" meaning "as in struggling, failing"?

When "Floundering" (adjective) means as in struggling, failing, synonyms include declining, dying, failing, languishing, struggling and depressed. Opposites in this sense include booming, boomy, flourishing and golden.