Definitions

floundering

[floun-der-ing] / ˈflaʊn dər ɪŋ /

ADJECTIVE

awkward

Synonyms

STRONGEST

amateurish rude stiff

WEAK

all thumbs artless blundering bulky bumbling bungling butterfingers coarse gawky graceless green having two left feet having two left hands incompetent inept inexpert klutzy lumbering maladroit oafish stumbling uncoordinated uncouth unfit ungainly ungraceful unhandy unpolished unrefined unskilled unskillful

Antonyms

WEAK

adroit artful clever convenient dexterous easy elegant graceful handy skillful straightforward

ADJECTIVE

doddering

Synonyms

STRONG

faltering tottering trembling

WEAK

anile decrepit dotard infirm senile shaky unsteady weak

Antonyms

WEAK

agile young youthful

ADJECTIVE

incompetent

Synonyms

STRONGEST

amateurish helpless inadequate incapable ineffectual inefficient inept inexperienced unqualified unskilled useless

STRONG

amateur raw

WEAK

awkward bungling bush-league clumsy disqualified ineligible inexpert insufficient maladroit not cut out for not equal to not have it out to lunch unadapted unequipped unfit unfitted unhandy uninitiated unproficient untrained

Antonyms

STRONGEST

able capable competent expert qualified skilled strong useful

WEAK

adept dexterous effective efficient experienced proficient skillful

ADJECTIVE

klutzy

Synonyms

WEAK

all thumbs amateurish artless blundering bulky bumbling bungling butterfingers clumsy coarse gawky graceless green having two left feet having two left hands incompetent inept inexpert lumbering lumpish maladroit oafish rude stiff stumbling uncoordinated uncouth unfit ungainly ungraceful unhandy unpolished unrefined unskilled unskillful

ADJECTIVE

lashing

Synonyms

STRONG

beating hitting

ADJECTIVE

maladroit

Synonyms

WEAK

all thumbs blundering bumbling bungling clunky gauche halting heavy-handed inept inexpert klutzy lumbering stumbling two left feet ungraceful unhandy unskillful

Antonyms

WEAK

able capable diplomatic nice sensitive skillful tactful

ADJECTIVE

purposeless

Synonyms

WEAK

aimless designless desultory drifting empty feckless fustian goalless good-for-nothing haphazard hit-or-miss indiscriminate irregular meaningless motiveless needless nonsensical pointless purportless random senseless uncalled for undirected unhelpful unnecessary unplanned unprofitable unpurposed vacuous wanton worthless

Antonyms

WEAK

decided deliberate determined planned purposeful significant useful

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They gave me the long view when I was 20 and floundering in life.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

They come into this game off the back of three straight defeats without managing a goal, and I can see them floundering again here.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

A small-cap biotechnology stock was floundering Monday after flaws in a trial design rendered survival data for a groundbreaking cancer drug statistically insignificant.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

By 2017, one of its early projects, called Universe, which aimed to train AI agents to play games and use computers like humans, was floundering.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

Still pretty much oblivious to the gathering storm, but very much aware of his own troubles, Herbie Goldfarb decided an escape into love might be just what the doctor ordered for his floundering soul.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

floundering

Example Sentences

Related Words