Flounders

To struggle or stagger clumsily in water or mud. Figuratively, it signifies to experience great difficulty or be in serious trouble. This can encompass struggling to make progress, behaving awkwardly, or facing a situation with a lack of control or direction. It implies a loss of balance, composure, or effectiveness, often accompanied by uncertainty or distress. The term highlights a state of near-failure or a desperate effort to maintain a hold or to succeed, where one's actions seem ineffective or counterproductive.

Flounders meaning with examples

• The ship flounders in the storm, battered by massive waves and threatened with capsizing, as the crew fights to maintain control amidst the chaos, struggling to keep the vessel afloat. The captain must guide the ship to safety, or they will succumb to the unforgiving sea. The crew are also floundering to fix the ship as the storm rages on.
• During the interview, the nervous applicant flounders while answering the questions, stumbling over his words and unable to articulate his qualifications effectively. He feels that he is floundering to win over the interviewer. His lack of confidence becomes increasingly apparent as he struggles to maintain a coherent narrative.
• After the sudden tax increase, the small business flounders financially, facing mounting debts and struggling to stay afloat. The owner flounders to get the business back up and running as sales decline and customers disappear, the company's future hangs precariously in the balance with many worried.
• The inexperienced actor flounders on stage during the opening night performance, forgetting his lines and moving awkwardly. He feels as though he is floundering in front of the audience, unable to overcome his stage fright, disrupting the flow of the play for a while. The director must decide whether to keep him in the show.
• As the negotiations on a crucial trade agreement flounder, the delegates repeatedly fail to reach a consensus, resulting in both sides struggling for a resolution. The two sides may flounder for an extensive period and possibly fail, leading to economic uncertainty. The parties flounder in their individual goals.