1
as in darted
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements
a lonely butterfly fluttering across the lawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in flapped
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
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Recent Examples of fluttered
Stars forward Arttu Hyry had what appeared to be a wide-open look at a tying goal in the slot, but misfired as the puck fluttered over the net.
—
ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
As Ember brushed past to turn on the lamp, one of the sheets came unstuck and fluttered out into the hallway, caught in her slight draft.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Patrick Kane took a shot from the point that fluttered through traffic and bounced off Compher, who was parked at the goalpost.
—CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
And there, for the fifth time, was Azzi Fudd as the colorful scraps of paper, shot from big cannons, fluttered down all around her.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
As his hair fluttered in the jet stream created by his flight path, three of his Minnesota Timberwolves teammates were left in his dust.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Her eyes fluttered open then closed.
—Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
Almost 35 years later, the fight that started before that single envelope fluttered into his cell is not over.
—Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 27 Dec. 2025
Around her, leaves fluttered in the autumn breeze, a verdant array that suggested the Colorado might be flowing in its channel nearby.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 15 Dec. 2025
ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
As Ember brushed past to turn on the lamp, one of the sheets came unstuck and fluttered out into the hallway, caught in her slight draft.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Patrick Kane took a shot from the point that fluttered through traffic and bounced off Compher, who was parked at the goalpost.
—CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
And there, for the fifth time, was Azzi Fudd as the colorful scraps of paper, shot from big cannons, fluttered down all around her.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
As his hair fluttered in the jet stream created by his flight path, three of his Minnesota Timberwolves teammates were left in his dust.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Her eyes fluttered open then closed.
—Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
Almost 35 years later, the fight that started before that single envelope fluttered into his cell is not over.
—Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 27 Dec. 2025
Around her, leaves fluttered in the autumn breeze, a verdant array that suggested the Colorado might be flowing in its channel nearby.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fluttered
Verb
-
Penguins darted beneath us, marine iguanas grazed on algae, and sea lions twirled playfully in the water.—
David Morris,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Smaller birds darted around, their small wings flapping rapidly.—
Emily Holshouser,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The jacket hugged every contour of your torso and never flapped in the wind.—
The Editors,
Outside,
18 Mar. 2026
-
As is customary for the deaths of first responders, a gigantic American flag flapped from a crane outside the morgue.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These words are fascinating to consider in relation to Soderbergh, who has flitted among genres and subjects with a facility that is easily mistaken for dilettantism, or even ventriloquism.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Villaraigosa flitted around the racers’ VIP tent, spotted a bowl of fortune cookies and made a beeline.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The in-game festivities encouraged the crowd to cheer for Minnesota as fans danced to the continuous background music.—
PJ Green
April 28,
Kansas City Star,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In years past, heavyweights like Copenhagen’s AOC, Koks from the Faroe Islands, Reykjavík’s Dill, and Portugal’s Vistas Rui Silvestre have all danced through its doors.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Down 2-1 in the 11th minute of stoppage time, Pinnock’s pass was flicked on by Sowunmi at the near-post and nodded down by striker Marcus Dinanga for 18-year-old George Evans to score.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Earlier, Freiburg took the lead when Maximilian Eggestein flicked Matthias Ginter’s header past the goalkeeper at a corner in the 28th minute.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fluttered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fluttered. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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