flounder
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to have a lot of trouble doing something or to act in a confused way.
v.to struggle or proceed clumsily; to experience great difficulty or be in a state of confusion.
Simple“The student began to flounder when the teacher asked a very difficult question.”
In context“Without a clear strategy, the new startup began to flounder within months of its initial product launch.”
UsageIntransitive verb; often followed by 'in' or 'through'.
PitfallThe company was foundering in debt. The company was floundering in debt.Use 'flounder' for struggling or acting clumsily; 'founder' means to fail completely or sink.
- 02 C1 Advanced
v.to move your body in a clumsy way, like someone trying to walk through deep mud.
v.to make clumsy, struggling movements, especially in water, mud, or snow.
Simple“He was floundering in the deep snow, trying to reach the cabin door.”
In context“The horses were floundering through the marshy ground, their hooves sinking deep into the thick black mud.”
Synonymsthrashflail - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a flat fish that lives in the ocean and is often used for food.
n.any of various marine flatfish, typically of the families Pleuronectidae or Bothidae, valued as food.
Simple“We had grilled flounder and fresh vegetables for dinner at the seaside restaurant.”
In context“Commercial fishermen in the North Atlantic often target flounder due to its high market demand and delicate flavour.”
Synonymsflatfish
From Middle English flowndre, from Anglo-Norman floundre, from Old Northern French flondre, from Old Norse flyðra, from Proto-Germanic *flunþrijǭ. Cognate with Danish flynder, German Flunder, Swedish flundra.
Possibly from the noun. Probably a blend of flounce + founder or a blend of founder + blunder or from Dutch flodderen (“wade”). See other terms beginning with fl, such as flutter, flitter, float, flap, flub, flip.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.