flustered; flustering
ˈflə-st(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to put into a state of agitated confusion : upset
The speaker was obviously flustered by the interruption.
"Now don't overexcite yourself, Grandpa," Mrs. Bucket said. "And don't fluster poor Charlie. We must all try to keep very calm."—
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl2
: to make tipsy
There is much that is, in truth, dishonest even in honest play. A man who can keep himself sober after dinner plays [cards] with one who flusters himself with drink.—Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
: a state of agitated confusion
They had been talking about it for days, and when they were getting ready to go out they were all in a fluster.—Louise Fitzhugh
Louise FitzhughSynonyms
Examples of fluster in a Sentence
Verb
The interruption flustered the speaker.
Some speakers fluster more easily than others.
Noun
all the yelling on the bus put the driver in a fluster
there was a palpable fluster in the audience when I asked my awkward question
Recent Examples on the WebGary J. Bass, Foreign Affairs, 3 Feb. 2017
This is the same Minnesota defense that flustered a roster that had Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on the same team.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 May 2024
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2023
Robinson could well be the missing Lombardi piece here, not to mention a lethal complement to newly minted QB Jalen Hurts – a combo that could truly fluster defenses.
—Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for fluster 
Verb
For that reason, presidents and secretaries of state have often been annoyed or flustered by it.
—Gary J. Bass, Foreign Affairs, 3 Feb. 2017
This is the same Minnesota defense that flustered a roster that had Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on the same team.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 May 2024
Noun
The 6-1, 220-pounder repeatedly flusters defenses by escaping out of would-be sacks and delivering seemingly impossible throws.
—Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2023
Robinson could well be the missing Lombardi piece here, not to mention a lethal complement to newly minted QB Jalen Hurts – a combo that could truly fluster defenses.
—Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for fluster
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fluster.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near fluster
Cite this Entry
“Fluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluster. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
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