flounce

¹ American  

[flauns] / 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  

[flauns] / 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

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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

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

The Hollywood Reporter's Robyn Bahr agreed that "the flounce and fizziness of the original series are largely absent from this moodier and more self-serious one".

From BBC ● Dec. 9, 2021

In the Bourse de la Commence, a finely tailored business-like jacket filed by above a gray skirt with a flounce cut on the bias.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 1, 2021

One morning, their mother asked Nelson to wear her loveliest dress, a dark frock with a flounce at the bottom, and then piled her and Cook into the landlord’s car while he drove.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 2, 2020

So she says nothing and settles for storming up the steps in a fine flounce.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

While she spoke animatedly from a green room couch, Day’s bubblegum pink off-shoulder tee and baggy white pants repeatedly flounced out and then resettled in new shapes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

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

It’s less flounced up in audio taffata, and Gaga’s vocals are throaty and heartfelt, on a sonic plane that’s been sanded out of the official version.

From Slate ● Oct. 24, 2016

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

He flounced off, swishing his tail, muttering about going outside to take the air.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

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

Nemec recognizes this, to some degree, by only mentioning a central figure from the anime who is basically a flailing, flouncing mess of childish squeaks and quirks.

From Salon ● Nov. 20, 2021

But some palace lackey had erred; the vehicle was too cramped for a tall flouncing lassie and her frock.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 26, 2017

Did Nancy Marchand really grab Ms. Harris’s red wig and pull her back into the dressing room from which she was angrily flouncing?

From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2013

The door opened and Darlene came in wearing a satin cocktail dress and a flowered hat, flouncing her skirt gracefully as she walked.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

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