fluster

[fluhs-ter]

See more 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.

Origin of fluster

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

Related formsun·flus·tered, adjective

Synonyms for fluster

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com

1. upset, bewilder, disconcert, disturb. 4. turmoil, agitation, upset, bewilderment, distraction.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for flustered

mystify, perplex, bewilder, discombobulate, nonplus, confuse, muddle, distract, confound, agitate, unhinge, discompose, ruffle, disturb, frustrate, rattle, disquiet, bother, puzzle, excite

Examples from the Web for flustered

Contemporary Examples of flustered

It's important that though she's flustered she knows his number and stands up to him as his equal.
New York’s Greatest Show Or How They Did Not Screw Up ‘Guys and Dolls’
Ross Wetzsteon
April 6, 2014
Flustered, I typed “iTunes” into the tiny oblong search box to see how many charges there were in total.
Woman Finds Mysterious Charges on Her iTunes Bill: A Modern Whodunit!
Nancy Neufeld Callaway
January 31, 2014
On the phone, Walt is flustered—he says “bug up his butt” instead of “stick”—but Skyler buys it.
Latest ‘Breaking Bad’ Episode, ‘Ozymandias,’ Is Most Action-Packed Yet
Andrew Romano
September 16, 2013
As a flustered Ally regales the encounter, a flashback reveals the entire, surprisingly explicit soap-and-squeegee affair.
The 'Reign' Steamy Stairwell Shocker & TV’s 13 Dirtiest Sex Scenes (VIDEO)
Kevin Fallon
October 11, 2012
Flustered at the lobby full of black people, the ad men discuss how best to handle the situation.
Black Women Still Battle Mad Men in Corporate America
Rebecca Carroll
March 30, 2012

Historical Examples of flustered

Now, when I'm arrested for speeding, I'm not in the least flustered—oh, not a little bit!
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
"It's all right, Fannie," Aggie said hastily to the flustered maid.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
His waistcoat was red, and he wore knee-breeches, but his aspect was flustered.
The Secret Agent
Joseph Conrad
He was too flustered to do more than return the pressure of the small, firm hand.
The Downfall
Emile Zola
I was so flustered and—and tickled to see her that I forgot everything, manners and all.
Thankful's Inheritance
Joseph C. Lincoln

British Dictionary definitions for flustered

fluster

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

Word Origin and History for flustered

fluster

early 15c. (implied in flostyrynge), from a Scandinavian source (cf. Icelandic flaustr "bustle," flaustra "to bustle"). Originally "to excite," especially with drink; sense of "to flurry, confuse" is from 1724. Related: Flustered; flustering. As a noun, 1710, from the verb.