Meaning & use
foundered
Last updated
“foundered” is a form of “founder”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitive
of a ship, to fill with water and sink
Grammar: No object; the subject is the ship or boat.
Patterns
- something foundered
- founder in something
- founder on something
The ship foundered in the stormy sea.
Their boat foundered on a hidden rock.
Several vessels foundered during the hurricane.
verbintransitive
of a plan or business, to fail completely
Grammar: No object; the subject is the plan, project, or company.
Patterns
- something foundered
- founder because of something
- founder on something
The deal foundered because of disagreements over price.
The company foundered after losing its main investor.
Their marriage foundered on financial problems.
verbintransitivetechnical
of a horse, to become very ill or unable to stand
Grammar: No object; used about horses.
Patterns
- a horse foundered
- founder on something
The horse foundered after eating too much grain.
Many horses foundered during the harsh winter.
Word forms
| base form | founder |
|---|---|
| third person singular | founders |
| past tense | foundered |
| past participle | foundered |
| -ing form | foundering |
Common combinations
- founder on the rocks
- The tanker foundered on the rocks near the coast.
- founder because of
- The project foundered because of a lack of funding.
- founder in bad weather
- The small boat foundered in bad weather.
- founder after a merger
- The airline foundered after a failed merger.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sink
- Used for ships or objects going under water; founder often suggests filling with water first.
- fail
- A general word for not succeeding; founder is more specific to plans, businesses, or ships.
- collapse
- Used for businesses or plans that suddenly stop working; founder suggests a slower failure.
Opposites
Word family
- founder noun
- A person who establishes an organization.
- foundering adjective
- In the process of failing or sinking.
Commonly confused: foundered or floundered?
foundered vs floundered
Floundered means struggled clumsily or made mistakes; foundered means sank or failed completely.
Practice
The company _______ after its main product was banned.
Choose one answer.
Foundered means failed completely, which fits the context of a company. Floundered means struggled in a confused way, which does not imply complete failure. Founded means established, and found is the past of find.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “foundered”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.