Choose the most appropriate synonym of the underlined word.
Asked to explain her science project to the visiting officer, Kavya floundered for a minute before she found her notes.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Faltered
In the given sentence, floundered means struggled and became confused, not knowing what to say or do. Its synonym is faltered. Example: Raj floundered when the interviewer asked him about his own CV.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Excelled | did something extremely well (the opposite of floundered) | Zoya excelled in the inter-school quiz and won the trophy. |
| (2) Rambled | talked for a long time without a clear point (talking too much, not struggling to go on) | Our uncle rambled on about his college days all through dinner. |
| (3) Objected | said that one did not agree with something | The residents objected to the new mobile tower on the roof. |
| (4) Faltered (answer) | lost confidence or became unsteady (same as floundered) | Priya’s voice faltered as she read her farewell speech. |
| Synonyms of floundered: faltered, struggled, stumbled, fumbled Antonyms of floundered: excelled, succeeded, thrived |