flounce

¹ American  

[flouns] / flaʊns /

verb (used without object)

flounced, flouncing

1. to go with impatient or impetuous, exaggerated movements.

   The star flounced out of the studio in a rage.

   Synonyms:

   bounce, prance, bound, storm

2. to throw the body about spasmodically; flounder.

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noun

1. an act or instance of flouncing; a flouncing movement.

flounce ² American  

[flouns] / flaʊns /

noun

1. a strip of material gathered or pleated and attached at one edge, with the other edge left loose or hanging: used for trimming, as on the edge of a skirt or sleeve or on a curtain, slipcover, etc.

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verb (used with object)

flounced, flouncing

1. to trim with flounces.

flounce ¹ British  

/ flaʊns /

verb

1. (intr; often foll by about, away, out, etc) to move or go with emphatic or impatient movements

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noun

1. the act of flouncing

flounce ² British  

/ flaʊns /

noun

1. an ornamental gathered ruffle sewn to a garment by its top edge

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Usage

What else does flounce mean? The internet slang term flounce means "to leave an online group in a dramatic manner," and may or may not involve burning a few bridges or stirring the pot on the way out.

Etymology

Origin of flounce¹

1535–45; of obscure origin; perhaps akin to Norwegian flunsa to hurry

Origin of flounce²

First recorded in 1665–75; alteration of obsolete frounce wrinkle

Explanation

To flounce is to move in an exaggerated, emphatic way, especially if your movement expresses anger or impatience. A young child who doesn't like what's for dinner might stand up and flounce away from the table. If you feel you've been misunderstood, you might need to stifle the urge to flounce off in a huff — it's more mature to stay and try to explain yourself. Flounce is also a noun, meaning both the action of flouncing and a ruffle: "I'll make this dress look fancier by sewing a flounce on the bottom." The huffy movement meaning came first, possibly from a Scandinavian source.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

flounce flounced flouncing

For fall, diaphanous tiers of 1970s flounce in almost angelically light hues defined the show’s aesthetic inside a brutalist warehouse space.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 29, 2024

Ana de Armas, best actress nominee for "Blonde," wore a silver column dress with a flamenco dancer-like flounce on the bottom.

From Reuters ● Mar. 13, 2023

Only a generation ago, some gardener-critics thought them lacking in elegance and refinement, too conspicuous in their flounce.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 15, 2022

Rose tends to flounce through every moment of her life as though giving a command performance.

From New York Times ● Mar. 18, 2022

With a flounce of petticoats she turned away.

From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare

A few months later, he quietly crawled back to Twitter and starting posting again, never acknowledging that he had flounced away in righteous indignation.

From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2021

A West Indian band played in the corner, a young girl flounced around in feather boas, and gay men danced the Madison as they sipped on glasses of wine and longed to touch each other.

From Slate ● May 4, 2018

Also in the mix were statement-making tulle dressing gowns that flounced and bounced with ostrich or marabou feathers, custom made by L.A. designer Catherine D’Lish.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2017

I would have said “no one’s pressuring me,” as I flounced along to Stringfellows if that’s where the party went.

From The Guardian ● Jan. 23, 2016

Six señoritas in long, fitted dresses with flaring skirts and castanets in their hands flounced onto the stage.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

Oh sure, Paul Lynde and Liberace were flouncing on television; closer to home, a boy I kept my distance from decoupaged his notebooks.

From New York Times ● Jan. 31, 2024

Manuel Puig’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman” is perhaps best known in the U.S. as the film that won William Hurt an Oscar for flouncing around a prison cell in a kimono.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2023

"Rather than flouncing off", said Mr Hussain, the judge showed humour and "embraced" the fluffy intruder.

From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2021

As the Mistress, Elizabeth Debicki is a flouncing yet imposing presence.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 9, 2013

“How would you know?” said Dovie, flouncing by.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly