1. To struggle ineffectively in movement or an uncertain task.
2. A flatfish with both eyes on one side of its body.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- flounder in mud
- flounder for an answer
On the page
He floundered when asked to explain the missing page.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- flounder
- Past tense
- floundered
- Past participle
- floundered
- Present participle
- floundering
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- flounder
- Present continuous
- am/is/are floundering
- Present perfect
- have/has floundered
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been floundering
- Past
- floundered
- Past continuous
- was/were floundering
- Past perfect
- had floundered
- Past perfect continuous
- had been floundering
- Future
- will flounder
- Future continuous
- will be floundering
- Future perfect
- will have floundered
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been floundering
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: flounder; flounders; floundered; floundered; floundering. Noun singular flounder; plural flounders or flounder. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description, character, dialogue. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: flounders.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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