fluster

[ fluhs-ter ]
/ ˈflʌs tər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR fluster ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to put into a state of agitated confusion: His constant criticism flustered me.
to excite and confuse with drink.

verb (used without object)

to become agitatedly confused.

noun

nervous excitement or confusion.

QUIZZES

DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?
Question 1 of 10
decorum
the act of or need for making up one's mind.
dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.
a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.
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Origin of fluster

1375–1425; late Middle English flostren; cf. bluster, Old Norse flaustra to hurry

OTHER WORDS FROM fluster

un·flus·tered, adjective

Words nearby fluster

flush right, flush-decked, flushing, flushometer, flushwork, fluster, flustrated, flute, fluted, fluter, flutey
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to fluster

mystify, perplex, bewilder, discombobulate, nonplus, confuse, muddle, distract, confound, agitate, unhinge, turmoil, to-do, disturbance, ruffle, flap, agitation, commotion, state, flurry

Example sentences from the Web for fluster

British Dictionary definitions for fluster

fluster
/ (ˈflʌstə) /

verb

to make or become confused, nervous, or upset

noun

a state of confusion or agitation

Word Origin for fluster

C15: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Icelandic flaustr to hurry, flaustra to bustle
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012