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   floun·der

   /ˈfloundər/

   verb

   • 1. struggle or stagger helplessly or clumsily in water or mud: "he was floundering about in the shallow offshore waters" Similar strugglethrashthreshflailtoss and turntwist and turnpitchsplashstaggerstumblefalterlurchblunderfumblegropesquirmwritheOpposite make good progress
   • ▪ struggle mentally; show or feel great confusion: "she floundered, not knowing quite what to say" Similar struggle mentallybe out of one's depthbe in the darkhave difficultybe confoundedbe confusedbe dumbfoundedinformal:scratch one's headbe flummoxedbe cluelessbe foxedbe fazedbe flooredbe beaten
   • ▪ be in serious difficulty: "many firms are floundering" Similar struggle financiallybe in dire straitsface financial ruinbe in difficultiesface bankruptcy/insolvencyOpposite prosper

   Word Origin late 16th century: perhaps a blend of founder3 and blunder, or perhaps symbolic, fl- frequently beginning words connected with swift or sudden movement.

   Derivatives

   • 1. flounderer noun

   Scrabble Points: 12

   • F

     4

   • L

     1

   • O

     1

   • U

     1

   • N

     1

   • D

     2

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

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