floundering

[ floun-der-ing ]

adjective

1. struggling, especially clumsily or helplessly:

   The vast leap from tonal music to modernism was left to the floundering student to make, unaided.

   These classic writing mistakes are guaranteed to unlock the door to instant failure and free you to flop like a floundering fish on the floor.

2. in imminent danger of failure or catastrophic loss:

   The floundering venture laid off half its 200 employees and its chairman resigned.

   The player’s 2017 campaign not only revived what looked like a floundering career, it proved to be one of the best he'd ever had in the big leagues.

noun

1. a clumsy, violent, or chaotic struggle:

   With many awkward flounderings, and much spluttering, I managed to keep barely afloat until I reached the shore.

   The floundering of the economy in the last decade has left many hardworking individuals without a job.

Other Words From

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of floundering¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; flounder ¹( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses; flounder ¹( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun sense

Example Sentences

“We were floundering. We needed help as well. We gave her the medication and it was constantly being changed. It wasn’t working,” Ann said.

From BBC

Bridget Jones went straight to many women's hearts in the 1990s, but some think the floundering and flawed heroine, who's fixated with her weight and relationship status, is not the best role model.

From BBC

But somehow — because it’s so wonderfully written — it does, landing with affection and grace within a depiction of a few floundering, turbulent days.

From Los Angeles Times

He also boasted about the ratings of press conferences he gave during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the disease left a floundering economy and thousands of dead Americans in its wake.

From Salon

“Skincare” becomes a two-hander, alternating between the floundering Hope and the equally flailing Jordan, who desperately wants to be seen as a hero to her.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• amateurish
• helpless
• inadequate
• incapable
• ineffectual
• inefficient
• inept
• inexperienced
• unqualified
• unskilled
• useless