flounder

¹

[floun-der]

verb (used without object)

1. to struggle with stumbling or plunging movements (usually followed by about, along, on, through, etc.).

   He saw the child floundering about in the water.

2. to struggle clumsily or helplessly.

   He floundered helplessly on the first day of his new job.

   Synonyms: muddle, waver, falter

3. to be in imminent danger of failure.

   The negotiations floundered primarily on the question of extending regional autonomy.

flounder

²

[floun-der]

noun

plural

flounder ,

plural

flounders .

1. a European, marine flatfish, Platichthys flesus, used for food.

2. any of numerous similar or closely related non-European flatfishes.

3. any flatfish other than soles.

flounder

¹

/ ˈflaʊndə /

verb

1. to struggle; to move with difficulty, as in mud

2. to behave awkwardly; make mistakes

noun

1. the act of floundering

flounder

²

/ ˈflaʊndə /

noun

1. Also called: fluke. a European flatfish, Platichthys flesus having a greyish-brown body covered with prickly scales: family Pleuronectidae : an important food fish

2. any flatfish of the families Bothidae (turbot, etc) and Pleuronectidae (plaice, halibut, sand dab, etc)

Usage

Flounder is sometimes wrongly used where founder is meant: the project foundered (not floundered ) because of a lack of funds

Word History and Origins

Origin of flounder¹

First recorded in 1570–80; perhaps blend of flounce ¹ and founder ²

Origin of flounder²

1400–50; late Middle English < Anglo-French floundre < Scandinavian; compare Norwegian flundra

Word History and Origins

Origin of flounder¹

C16: probably a blend of _founder ² + _blunder ; perhaps influenced by _flounder ²

Origin of flounder²

C14: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse flythra , Norwegian flundra

Example Sentences

The Dutch coach who showed such a sure touch last season is suddenly floundering.

Read more on BBC

If sole were the sole type of fish whose name had multiple meanings, that would be one thing to carp about, but three is enough to make anyone flounder.

Read more on Literature

Unfortunately, the children had learned the words according to the way they sounded, rather than what they actually meant, so that “All hail to our founder” became “A pail full of flounder” and so on.

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Some think the floundering and flawed heroine, who's fixated with her weight and relationship status, is not the best role model.

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Google will pay more than $40 million to support South African news media, many of them floundering in a digital age, the country's competition authority said Thursday.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• flop 
• stumble 
• wallow