to flounder
Third Person
flounders
Present Participle
floundering
Past Tense
floundered
Past Participle
floundered
1
to move clumsily or struggle while walking
- The hiker, exhausted from the steep climb, began to flounder on the uneven terrain.
- The injured athlete tried to flounder off the field, visibly limping with each step.
- The elderly gentleman began to flounder on the icy sidewalk, careful not to slip and fall.
- With a heavy backpack, the mountaineer had to flounder through the deep snow.
- The explorers had to flounder through the swampy area, struggling to maintain their balance.
Synonyms:
2
to experience confusion, indecision, or difficulty in finding a solution
- The student started to flounder, unable to concentrate and organize their thoughts.
- Facing a challenging decision, she began to flounder mentally.
- The leader started to flounder, grappling with the complexity of the situation.
- The athlete, facing self-doubt, began to flounder mentally, affecting their performance on the field.
- The writer encountered a creative block and began to flounder.
3
to face great difficulties and be about to fail
- The small business began to flounder as it struggled to compete with larger companies.
- Amid financial challenges, the company started to flounder.
- As the economic downturn persisted, many industries began to flounder.
- The team started to flounder when key members resigned, leaving critical roles unfilled.
- The restaurant started to flounder due to negative reviews and a decline in customer satisfaction.