Standard Lemma guide

flounce

noun · verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /flaʊns/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aʊns
  • CMU ARPABET: F L AW1 N S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A strip of decorative material, usually pleated, attached along one edge; a ruffle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, manufacturing, sewing, textiles

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The act of flouncing; a dramatic departure.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A row of corrugations, skin folds, or spines, on the hemipenis of a snake.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To move in a bouncy, exaggerated manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To depart in a dramatic, haughty way that draws attention to oneself.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • After failing to win the leadership election, he flounced dramatically.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To flounder; to make spastic motions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To decorate with a flounce.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, manufacturing, sewing, textiles

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

the act of walking with exaggerated jerky motions

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gait

9

noun

Meaning 9

a strip of pleated material used as a decoration or a trim

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: frill, ruffle, furbelow

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: adornment

Narrower terms: goffer, gauffer, jabot, peplum

10

verb

Meaning 10

walk emphatically

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: walk

History

Etymology

Probably of North Germanic origin, from Norwegian flunsa (“hurry”), perhaps ultimately imitative. Or, perhaps formed on the pattern of pounce, bounce.

Across languages

Translations

35 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: волан (volan) — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Czech: kanýr — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Czech: volán — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Dutch: volant — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Finnish: röyhelö (pleated) — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Finnish: reunus — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • French: volant — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Italian: volant — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Italian: balza — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Italian: gala — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Polish: falbanka — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Serbo-Croatian: volan — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Serbo-Croatian: karner — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Swedish: volang — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Turkish: sayvan — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Turkish: volan — strip of decorative material along an edge
  • Finnish: harppominen — act of flouncing
  • Finnish: röyhelöinti — act of flouncing
  • Bulgarian: хвърлям се (hvǎrljam se) — to move in exaggerated manner
  • Bulgarian: втурвам се (vturvam se) — to move in exaggerated manner
  • Czech: rázně si vykračovat — to move in exaggerated manner
  • Czech: mašírovat — to move in exaggerated manner
  • Finnish: harppoa — to move in exaggerated manner
  • German: stolzieren — to move in exaggerated manner
  • Italian: rimbalzare — to move in exaggerated manner
  • Swedish: skumpa — to move in exaggerated manner
  • Bulgarian: украсявам с волани (ukrasjavam s volani) — to decorate with flounce
  • Finnish: koristella röyhelöin — to decorate with flounce
  • Finnish: röyhelöidä — to decorate with flounce
  • Finnish: reunustaa — to decorate with flounce
  • Italian: guarnire — to decorate with flounce
  • Serbo-Croatian: ukrasiti volanima — to decorate with flounce
  • Finnish: poistua näyttävästi — to depart dramatically
  • Finnish: sännätä tiehensä — to depart dramatically
  • Serbo-Croatian: otperjati — to depart dramatically