foundered
Went down catastrophically
Foundered is the past tense of founder, meaning to fail completely or collapse.
A business founders when it goes under; a plan founders when it falls apart.
The word comes from sinking—a ship founders when it fills with water and goes down: The vessel foundered in heavy seas.
A horse that has foundered suffers from laminitis, a painful hoof condition.
Often confused with floundered, which means to struggle awkwardly.
Flipped upside down, nautically
- sunkForced beneath water
- wreckageDestroyed remains of something
- hullOuter covering or frame
- salvageRecovering damaged goods
maritime · nautical · reef · sunken · submerged · vessel · cargo · storm
Fell inward suddenly
- bankruptUnable to repay debts
- failedDid not succeed
- ruinedDamaged beyond recovery
- derailedThrown off course
unsuccessful · abortive · botched · fizzled · defunct · insolvent · doomed · stalled
Weak or limping
- lamenessImpaired ability to walk
- hoofHorny foot covering
- overfeedingSupplying excess nourishment
- grainCereal plant's harvest unit
crippled · veterinary · equine · swelling · inflammation · stable · farrier · pasture
capsized
Flipped upside down, nautically
salvage · maritime · nautical · reef · sunken · submerged · vessel · cargo · storm · rocks
collapsed
Fell inward suddenly
derailed · unsuccessful · abortive · botched · fizzled · defunct · insolvent · doomed · stalled · folded
lame
Weak or limping
- lamenessImpaired ability to walk
- hoofHorny foot covering
- overfeedingSupplying excess nourishment
grain · crippled · veterinary · equine · swelling · inflammation · stable · farrier · pasture · overexertion
stumbled
Lost balance while walking
- falteredLost momentum or confidence
- flounderedStruggled ineffectively
- staggeredShocked or unevenly spaced
wavered · tottered · fumbled · lurched · labored · flagged · weakened · sputtered · limped · languished
founderedsucceeded
Achieved desired outcome
thrived · flourished · prospered · triumphed · prevailed
founderedprogressed
Moved toward completion
advanced · pressed on · forged ahead · pushed through · kept going
founderedaccelerated
Increased in velocity
advanced · progressed · forged ahead · powered through · picked up steam
- corporate founderOne who establishes a business
- startup founderCreator of new companies
- founder's dayCommemoration of founding
- founder storyTale of starting something
- founder's legacyWhat an establisher leaves behind
- founder modeDirect control by creator