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# flounder

verb (flounder, flounders, floundered, floundering); noun (a flounder, flounders or flounder — a fish)

«flounder» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A flounder is a flat sea fish that lies on the seabed, with both eyes on one side of its head. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flounder/#m1)
2. (verb) To flounder means to struggle to move, splashing and stumbling, as in deep mud, snow or water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flounder/#m2)
3. (verb) To flounder can also mean to struggle and not know what to say or do, as in floundering in a test. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flounder/#m3)

### In the lessons

In science lessons, the flounder is an example of camouflage: it changes colour to match the sand. In stories, floundering in water or mud shows a struggle; in school, «floundering» shows someone stuck and confused. Phrases: «flounder about», «flounder in», «begin to flounder».

### Examples

- The flounder lay hidden on the sandy seabed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flounder/#x1)
- We floundered through the deep snow to the bus stop. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flounder/#x2)
- The horse floundered in the muddy field. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flounder/#x3)
- I floundered when the teacher asked me a question I hadn't heard. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flounder/#x4)
- A young flounder has eyes on both sides, but one eye moves as it grows. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flounder/#x5)
- The company floundered after it lost its biggest customer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flounder/#x6)
- The flounder said to him, ‘Listen, fisherman. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flounder/#x7)

### Note

Fish plural: flounder or flounders. Verb is regular. Trap: «flounder» (struggle) and «founder» (sink or fail completely) are often confused; a floundering team is struggling, a foundering ship is sinking.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «flounder» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flounder/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«flounder» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/flounder.html) on Mova free.