CEFR B2

floundering

verb

Meaning

Struggling clumsily or helplessly in water or mud; also, struggling with great difficulty or confusion.

The small boat was floundering in the rough seas, tossed about by the waves.
After losing his job, he felt like he was floundering, unsure of his next steps.

Synonyms: struggling, wallowing, stumbling, faltering, foundering

verb

Pronunciation: /ˈflaʊndərɪŋ/

Struggling clumsily or helplessly in water or mud; also, struggling with great difficulty or confusion.

The small boat was floundering in the rough seas, tossed about by the waves.
After losing his job, he felt like he was floundering, unsure of his next steps.
The company's new project was floundering due to a lack of clear leadership and resources.

flounder around (phrasal verb): To move or act clumsily and without clear direction. — "He was floundering around in the dark, trying to find the light switch."
flounder in (prepositional phrase): To struggle helplessly within a difficult situation or substance. — "The deer was floundering in the deep snow, unable to move quickly."
flounder with (prepositional phrase): To struggle to deal with or understand something. — "She often floundered with complex mathematical problems."

Words with a similar meaning to floundering:

Words with the opposite meaning to floundering: