foundered

verb

past tense of founder
1
as in collapsed
to be unsuccessful the theater company foundered after its corporate funding dried up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tumbled
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure the twin towers started to sway and suddenly foundered

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of foundered But, after some three hundred thousand trees were planted, the project foundered owing to a shift in political tides. — Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 Even before this high-profile addition to his staff, Chesney was already building early momentum in his significant rebuilding project at a program that has foundered over the past decade. — Greg Beacham, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026 Previous attempts to reach an agreement have foundered amid mutual suspicion and each side's insistence that the other must move first. — Nidal Al-Mughrabi, USA Today, 31 July 2026 Water rushed in through the openings, and the ship foundered so quickly that most of the 500 men onboard were lost. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026 On screen, some of our best artists have foundered in translation. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026 But the president didn’t make clear why a federal takeover of a small airline that has foundered for years would be an efficient use of capital or benefit American taxpayers. — Editorial, Boston Herald, 2 May 2026 The site contains remains from multiple vessels, suggesting a history of merchant ships that likely foundered in the same treacherous area while approaching the shore. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026 Courts have interpreted Section 230 immunity broadly, and many earlier attempts to hold platforms accountable for child harm have foundered on it. — Carolina Rossini, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foundered
  1. collapsed
  2. tumbled
  3. flopped
  4. went
  5. failed
  6. folded
  7. struggled
Verb
  • American officials rebutted Carney’s account of why the talks collapsed.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2026
  • His announcement came after trade talks collapsed between the two countries and each began calling for higher tariffs.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of collapsed
Verb
  • Howmet Aerospace — Shares of the manufacturer of engines for gas turbines tumbled more than 8%.
    — Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • On one page, tiny, antlike sinners tumbled down a cliff toward perdition.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of tumbled
Verb
  • Clarke’s first two films, with commercial distribution, flopped.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Designs against the three targets that flopped scored nearly as well as designs against the ones that produced binders in quantity.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of flopped
Verb
  • The Sox went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left 14 on base while falling in the opener of the four-game series.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Other questions still linger, including where Lahti’s car went.
    — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of went
Verb
  • Critically, the owner of the footage failed to show any impact on the market for the footage and in fact had never licensed the footage for compensation.
    — Schuyler Moore, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Congress legalized home brewing in 1978 Occasional efforts in recent years to change the law failed to gain traction.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of failed
Verb
  • Tired girl makeup looks poised to stick around, folded into a broader movement toward grunge, indie sleaze and deliberately unpolished beauty.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The project, originally a standalone story, was folded into the new DCU and received an R-rating.
    — Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of folded
Verb
  • While Big Tech companies have aggressively expanded their AI footprint, the iPhone maker has struggled to find its footing.
    — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In his second year as a head coach, Tyler Marsh once again struggled to cement a clear playing identity.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of struggled

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founder
foundered
foundering
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Cite this Entry

“Foundered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foundered. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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