floundering

American

[floun-der-ing] / ˈflaʊn dər ɪŋ /

adjective

struggling, especially clumsily or helplessly.

The vast leap from tonal music to modernism was left to the floundering student to make, unaided.
These classic writing mistakes are guaranteed to unlock the door to instant failure and free you to flop like a floundering fish on the floor.
in imminent danger of failure or catastrophic loss.

The floundering venture laid off half its 200 employees and its chairman resigned.
The player’s 2017 campaign not only revived what looked like a floundering career, it proved to be one of the best he'd ever had in the big leagues.

noun

a clumsy, violent, or chaotic struggle.

With many awkward flounderings, and much spluttering, I managed to keep barely afloat until I reached the shore.
The floundering of the economy in the last decade has left many hardworking individuals without a job.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of floundering

First recorded in 1590–1600; flounder ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; flounder ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun sense

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They gave me the long view when I was 20 and floundering in life.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

Emery has moulded many from Championship players into Champions League contenders from a squad which previously had not finished higher than 11th since returning to the top flight and were floundering under predecessor Steven Gerrard.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

“Negotiations to end the U.S.-Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz appear to be floundering yet again, resulting in another cautious start to the week across financial markets,” the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

And in floundering the ending, “Undertone” reminds us that tranquility can be far more unsettling than a cacophony of sight and sound.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

Mobs of people, beautifully dressed, were floundering through snowdrifts and the great black official cars chugged through streets clanking chains.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023