flounder

1
[ floun-der ]
/ ˈflaʊn dər /

verb (used without object)

to struggle with stumbling or plunging movements (usually followed by about, along, on, through, etc.): He saw the child floundering about in the water.
to struggle clumsily or helplessly: He floundered helplessly on the first day of his new job.

Origin of flounder

1
1570–80; perhaps blend of flounce1 and founder2

OTHER WORDS FROM flounder

floun·der·ing·ly, adverb un·floun·der·ing, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for floundering

British Dictionary definitions for floundering (1 of 2)

flounder 1
/ (ˈflaʊndə) /

verb (intr)

to struggle; to move with difficulty, as in mud
to behave awkwardly; make mistakes

noun

the act of floundering

Word Origin for flounder

C16: probably a blend of founder ² + blunder; perhaps influenced by flounder ²

usage for flounder

Flounder is sometimes wrongly used where founder is meant: the project foundered (not floundered) because of a lack of funds

British Dictionary definitions for floundering (2 of 2)

flounder 2
/ (ˈflaʊndə) /

noun plural -der or -ders

Also called: fluke a European flatfish, Platichthys flesus having a greyish-brown body covered with prickly scales: family Pleuronectidae : an important food fish
US and Canadian any flatfish of the families Bothidae (turbot, etc) and Pleuronectidae (plaice, halibut, sand dab, etc)

Word Origin for flounder

C14: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse flythra, Norwegian flundra