floundering

Language▾

German

Persian

Russian

Spanish

flounder

A floundering person or organization is struggling to stay afloat, often because they're having trouble making decisions or finding their way.

When someone says a business or project is floundering, they usually mean it's facing problems and might not make it. This can happen for many reasons - maybe the people in charge don't agree on what to do next, or they're trying new things without knowing if they'll work. Floundering can also describe a person who's feeling lost and unsure about their life choices or career path. It's like being in the water but not swimming very well!

How common is "floundering"?

Word floundering is considered rare in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

verb

To flop around as a fish out of water.
To make clumsy attempts to move or regain one's balance.
Example: Robert yanked Connie's leg vigorously, causing her to flounder and eventually fall.
To act clumsily or confused; to struggle or be flustered.
Example: He gave a good speech, but floundered when audience members asked questions he could not answer well.
To be in serious difficulty.

1 / 4

noun

The act of one who flounders; a clumsy struggle.

Real examples of "floundering" in context

Could Jack Have Survived on the Titanic Raft? | MythBusters | Discovery

Entertainment

They're no longer floundering around sitting pretty.

13:37