# flounce out

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/flounce-out
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to leave a room in a fast, angry, or dramatic way to show that you are annoyed.

For teachers: to exit a space with exaggerated, impatient, or self-important movements, typically to signal displeasure or a sense of injury.

## Examples

- She didn't like the answer, so she flounced out of the room.
- After the manager rejected his request for a raise, Mark flounced out without saying another word to his colleagues.
- The lead actor, offended by the director's minor critique, chose to flounce out of the rehearsal, leaving the rest of the cast in stunned silence.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He flounced out the meeting." but "He flounced out of the meeting." — when an object follows, the preposition 'of' is required to connect the movement to the location.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by 'of' and a location; carries a strong connotation of theatrical or immature behavior.
- Teaching tip: this is a highly descriptive 'manner of movement' verb; contrast it with 'storm out' (which is more about pure anger) to show the performative, 'diva-like' nature of a flounce.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.