foundering

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Word: Foundering

Part of Speech: Noun

Basic Meaning: The word "foundering" primarily refers to the sinking of a ship. When a ship is foundering, it is in trouble and is likely to go underwater.

Usage Instructions:

• "Foundering" is often used in maritime contexts, relating to ships and boats.
• It can also be used metaphorically to describe something that is failing or collapsing in a significant way.

Example:

• "The old ship was foundering in the stormy seas, and the crew had to abandon it."

Advanced Usage:

• In a broader sense, "foundering" can describe a situation where plans or ideas fail dramatically. For example: "The project was foundering due to lack of funding and support."

Word Variants:

• Foundering (verb): The verb form is "to founder," which means to sink or fail. For example, "The boat began to founder after hitting a rock."
• Foundered (past tense): "The ship foundered last night during the hurricane."

Different Meanings:

• In a broader context: "Foundering" can refer to any situation where something collapses or fails, not just ships. For example, "The company is foundering due to poor management."

Synonyms:

• Sink
• Collapse
• Fail
• Go under

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "Go down with the ship": This idiom means to share the fate of something that is failing, much like a captain who stays with their sinking ship.
• "Sink or swim": This means to succeed or fail without help, similar to how a ship must either stay afloat or sink.

Summary:

"Foundering" is a term that describes the sinking of a ship but can also be used to illustrate failure in other contexts.

Academic

Noun

1. (of a ship) sinking

Synonyms

• going under