flounder
verb (used without object)
to struggle with stumbling or plunging movements (usually followed by about, along, on, through, etc.).
were floundering
-
past progressiveof flounder.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
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
So for all their bluster in public, Bondi and Blanche were floundering in court as losses piled up.
From Slate ● Mar. 24, 2026
Just two weeks ago, the ETF dropped 5% for the week, marking its worst weekly performance since early April 2025, when markets were floundering from the Liberation Day lows.
From Barron's ● Feb. 24, 2026
“When the rest of us were floundering around,” Thompson says, “he kind of knew what to do with his life.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 9, 2025
As the book keeper was ill, Sander was given the task of holding the play book and throwing out lines to players who were floundering.
From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood
