FLUSTERING Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

flustering 1 of 2

adjective

as in embarrassing

causing embarrassment a flustering situation that left us all silent

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flustering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of fluster

as in confusing

to throw into a state of self-conscious distress was flustered when her parents dragged out her baby pictures for her new boyfriend

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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 flustering

Verb

The Pistons’ defense is swarming and flustering the Cavs. — Zach Harper, New York Times, 8 May 2026 But Seymour threw on a press, flustering the Patriots, who began to turn the ball over. — Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026 In the first half the Horned Frogs were successful in flustering the freshman. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flustering

Adjective

These demands can become expensive, stressful, or embarrassing for victims, who, in desperation, turn to the internet for help.

— Kim Key, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
With 10 days to prepare, Schottenheimer’s Cowboys played an embarrassing first half en route to a 23-13 loss on Sunday night at Green Bay.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of embarrassing

Adjective

The Basketmaker—whose skills go far beyond furniture making—weaves her a match, Fiddler on the Roof-like, and the Fisherwoman, after an awkward matrimonial moment, takes Wicker Husband home to her funky little cottage.

— Valerie Monroe, Allure, 23 Oct. 2026
The pushback is awkward for a government that went out of its way to land the project.

— Joshua Hong, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of awkward

Verb

Sound quality is also good, with ultra-deep bass rattling your brain on songs that feature it.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
The production is a rattling junk drawer of circuit-bent thrift-store keyboards, dusty drum machines, and unintuitive loops, and KTO combines them into head-scratching, shouldn’t-work grooves.

— Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of rattling

Verb

Rates of autism are rising to previously unseen levels, owing largely to better detection and new diagnostic criteria, but the numbers are still disconcerting.

— Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
It is filled with off-putting, perhaps even disconcerting antics, and teams don't want to add that to their locker room.

— Armando Salguero, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of disconcerting

Adjective

Other research suggests trypophobic people find hole clusters as unpleasant as pictures of skin disease and that people with a history of skin problems may find hole clusters particularly uncomfortable to look at.

— Gabriela Galvin, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026
That is followed by one focused on exploring conventional notions of beauty by uncovering the unexpected draw of unpleasant scents with Naïla Hamayed, Givaudan’s fragrance evaluator.

— Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of unpleasant

Adjective

Jarman, who came in as the defending champion on the event, put together a more difficult routine but was nicked by judges for his execution.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
This is the last remaining game on the schedule that should be very difficult.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of difficult

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Style

“Flustering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flustering. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of flustering

adjective

verb

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