flounder

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

floun•der¹ /ˈflaʊndɚ/   v. [no object]

1. to struggle to gain one's balance or move:
   The cavalry began to flounder in the mud.
2. to act or speak clumsily or falteringly:
   I floundered for an excuse.

floun•der² /ˈflaʊndɚ/   n., pl. (esp. when thought of as a group) -der, (esp. for kinds or species) -ders. 

1. Fish any of various flatfishes valued as food.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

floun•der¹  (floun′dər), v.i. 

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

• perh. blend of, blended flounce¹ and founder² 1570–80

floun′der•ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 2. falter, waver, muddle.

floun•der²  (floun′dər), n., pl. (esp. collectively) -der,  (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species) -ders. 

1. Fish a European, marine flatfish, Platichthys flesus, used for food.
2. Fish any of numerous similar or closely related non-European flatfishes.
3. Fish any flatfish other than soles.

• Scandinavian; compare Norwegian flundra
• Anglo-French floundre
• late Middle English 1400–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

flounder / ˈflaʊndə/ verb (intransitive)

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

noun

1. the act of floundering

Etymology: 16th Century: probably a blend of founder² + blunder; perhaps influenced by flounder²USAGE
Flounder is sometimes wrongly used where founder is meant: the project foundered (not floundered) because of a lack of funds

flounder / ˈflaʊndə/ noun ( -der, -ders)

1. Also called: fluke a European flatfish, Platichthys flesus having a greyish-brown body covered with prickly scales: family Pleuronectidae: an important food fish

Etymology: 14th Century: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse flythra, Norwegian flundra