foundering
Failing and collapsing
Foundering describes something in the process of failing or sinking.
A ship founders when it fills with water and goes down.
A business founders when it struggles toward collapse.
A horse founders when it stumbles or goes lame.
The word suggests active deterioration—not yet failed, but failing: The peace talks were foundering over territorial disputes.
Often confused with floundering, which emphasizes thrashing about helplessly rather than sinking.
Watercraft inverting suddenly
- swampingOverwhelming with excess
- listingRecorded item in catalog
- submergingPutting fully underwater
- shipwreckDestroyed vessel at sea
grounding · scuttling · waterlogged · awash · bilge · derelict · mayday · distress
Struggling clumsily, failing
- falteringBecoming unsteady or weak
- stumblingWalking clumsily, almost falling
- stallingIntentional delay tactics
- limpingUneven gait from injury
sputtering · wobbling · teetering · tottering · flagging · languishing · laboring · straining
Sudden structural failure
- declineDecrease or refuse
- deteriorationProcess of declining quality
- demiseCessation of existence
- downfallSudden loss of power
bankruptcy · insolvency · default · liquidation · receivership · ruin · breakdown · failure
Catastrophic loss of control
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- debacleSudden, complete failure
- fiascoHumiliating public failure
calamity · emergency · predicament · quagmire · turmoil · upheaval · chaos · distress
Overwhelmed beyond capacity
- inundatedOverwhelmed by quantity
- engulfedCompletely swallowed up
- delugedOverwhelmed by abundance
- overloadedBurdened past capacity
besieged · burdened · strained · drowning · overextended · overburdened · overtaxed
capsizing
Watercraft inverting suddenly
- swampingOverwhelming with excess
- listingRecorded item in catalog
- submergingPutting fully underwater
shipwreck · grounding · scuttling · waterlogged · awash · bilge · derelict · mayday · distress · salvage
floundering
Struggling clumsily, failing
- falteringBecoming unsteady or weak
- stumblingWalking clumsily, almost falling
- stallingIntentional delay tactics
limping · sputtering · wobbling · teetering · tottering · flagging · languishing · laboring · straining · battling
collapse
Sudden structural failure
- declineDecrease or refuse
- deteriorationProcess of declining quality
- demiseCessation of existence
downfall · bankruptcy · insolvency · default · liquidation · receivership · ruin · breakdown · failure · disintegration
meltdown
Catastrophic loss of control
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- debacleSudden, complete failure
fiasco · calamity · emergency · predicament · quagmire · turmoil · upheaval · chaos · distress · adversity
swamped
Overwhelmed beyond capacity
overloaded · besieged · burdened · strained · drowning · overextended · overburdened · overtaxed
- nautical termsahoy, afloat, aye aye, aye-aye, becalmed
- Naval Eventsnaval battle, sea battle, shipwreck, sinking, collision
- shipwrecksshipwreck, shipwrecks, sunken ships, capsized, derelict
- maritime accidentsship collision, ramming, broadsiding, sideswipe, side swipe
- Maritime Disastersshipwreck, sinking, capsizing, drowning, collision
- buoyancy statesbuoyant, floating, afloat, sinking, submerged
founderingsucceeding
Attaining aims or following
thriving · flourishing · prospering · triumphing · prevailing
founderingsurging
Rising with sudden force
advancing · soaring · taking off · accelerating · progressing
founder, founders, unfounded, foundered, confounding, founds, confounds, confounder