1. Struggling to move or to obtain a footing; staggering or walking in an uncontrolled way, as if a person is going to fall down: "The horses were floundering through the deep snow."
2. To make clumsy uncontrolled movements while trying to regain balance or to move forwards: "Jerry was floundering around in the swimming pool like someone who didn't know how to swim."
3. To behave in a way that shows confusion or a lack of purpose or being close to failing down: "The elderly lady suddenly got dizzy and floundered against the wall."
4. Etymology: of uncertain origin, possibly an alteration of founder, influenced by Dutch flodderen, "to flop around" or by English flounder, "a kind of flatfish".