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Stutter vs Flounder - What's the difference?

stutter | flounder |

In lang=en terms the difference between stutter and flounder

is that stutter is to exhaust a gas with difficulty while flounder is to act clumsily or confused; to struggle or be flustered.

As verbs the difference between stutter and flounder

is that stutter is (ambitransitive) to speak with a spasmodic repetition of vocal sounds while flounder is to flop around as a fish out of water.

As nouns the difference between stutter and flounder

is that stutter is a speech disorder characterised by stuttering while flounder is a european species of flatfish having dull brown colouring with reddish-brown blotches; fluke, european flounder,.

stutter

Verb

(en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To speak with a spasmodic repetition of vocal sounds.
  • He stuttered a few words of thanks.
  • To exhaust a gas with difficulty
  • The engine of the old car stuttered''' going up the slope. I was '''stuttering after the marathon .

    Synonyms

    * (speak with spasmodic repetition) stammer

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A speech disorder characterised by stuttering.
  • (obsolete) One who stutters; a stammerer.
  • (Francis Bacon)

    Synonyms

    * stammer

    Derived terms

    * covert stutter * pseudostuttering * stutterer English reporting verbs

    flounder

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) floundre, from . Cognate with Danish flynder, German Flunder, Swedish flundra.

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • A European species of flatfish having dull brown colouring with reddish-brown blotches; fluke, European flounder, .
  • (North America) Any of various flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae or Bothidae.
  • A bootmaker's tool for crimping boot fronts.
  • (rfi, the bootmaker's tool)

    Etymology 2

    Possibly from the noun. Possibly from (founder) or from (etyl) . See other terms beginning with fl , such as (flutter), (flitter), (float), (flap), (flub), (flip)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To flop around as a fish out of water.
  • To make clumsy attempts to move or regain one's balance.
  • Robert yanked Connie's leg vigorously, causing her to flounder and eventually fall.
  • To act clumsily or confused; to struggle or be flustered.
  • * Sir W. Hamilton
  • They have floundered on from blunder to blunder.
    He gave a good speech, but floundered when audience members asked questions he could not answer well.
  • * 1996 , , Virago Press, paperback edition, page 136
  • He is assessing directions, but he is not lost, not floundering .
    Usage notes
    Frequently confused with the verb founder. The difference is one of severity; floundering'' (struggling to maintain a position) comes before ''foundering (losing it completely by falling, sinking or failing).