flutter 1 of 2

noun

Definition of flutternext
1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity the site saw a flutter of construction last month, but nothing's happening now

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chance
chiefly British a risky undertaking most people regard the lottery as a harmless flutter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flutter

2 of 2

verb

ˈflə-tər How to pronounce flutter (audio)
1
as in to flit
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements a lonely butterfly fluttering across the lawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to flap
to move or cause to move with a striking motion fluttered my eyelashes as I struck up a conversation with the new guy at work

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 flutter
Noun
Its midi length suits a wide range of occasions, and its flutter-style cap sleeves and flared A-line skirt add eye-catching volume. — Aashna Gheewalla, PEOPLE, 22 June 2026 There’s even a flicker setting that emulates the dreamy flutter of a real flame. — Gear Team, Wired News, 16 June 2026
Verb
Of course, her arms matched the uninterrupted movement of her hair, fluttering in front of the cameras. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026 The sparrows fluttered into the air, wings beating against each other in panic. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flutter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flutter
  1. flurry
  2. chance
  3. flit
  4. flap
  5. burst
  6. gamble
  7. dart
  8. flicker
Noun
  • The interview in The Bookman had inaugurated what turned into a flurry of correspondence with his old clerk in the spring of 1892.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Despite a flurry of beauty M&A activity in 2025 — a record 384 deals globally, to be specific — average deal value is on the decline.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of flurry
Noun
  • The loss thwarted Cleveland’s chance at a World Series championship, extending its drought to 78 years.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Afternoon highs on Friday are expected to be a much cooler 57 degrees as a 40% chance of rainfall lingers in the area.
    — Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of chance
Verb
  • Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, flit between the two productions.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Stellantis There's also all the homologation and regulatory hurdles attached to having something that flits between being a passenger-car and a light truck.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of flit
Verb
  • Birds chirp in the tree branches above, and a large yellow butterfly alights on a leaf before flapping away into the sloping sunshine.
    — Sophie Neiman, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026
  • That means the bird species flapping around in backyards today are effectively the only surviving dinosaurs.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of flap
Noun
  • Berg, working with DP Jacques Jouffret, favors close shots that force us to experience battle much like our heroes do, as confusing, terrifying bursts of mayhem.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The heaviness comes from the fact that the artist died in April, at age forty-six, but it’s also embedded in the paintings on view—in the bursts of fire and swirling floods that mark them.
    — Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • For would-be homebuyers, that means waiting for significantly lower mortgage rates could be a gamble.
    — Mike Winters, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
  • While the past doesn’t predict future performance, selling in times of uncertainty can be a gamble.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of gamble
Verb
  • On the next drive, Ford took the snap and bobbled it before securing the ball and darting around the edge to run for a five-yard touchdown.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Wild guanacos—llama-like camelids with dark-red fur—darted across the road.
    — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • But a flicker of annoyance crosses Charli’s brow, as if the question touches a nerve.
    — Nancy Jo Sales, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Then came the Lit Duo 1, a pocket-sized tool that reads exposure, color, illumination, spectrum, and flicker all at once.
    — Matthew Huff, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of flicker

Browse Nearby Words

flutists
flutter
fluttered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flutter. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on flutter

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flutter

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All