Word: fluster

Associations

Fluster means to make someone confused, nervous, or upset. It often refers to a situation where a person is overwhelmed and does not know what to do.

• When someone is given a lot of tasks at once, they might feel flustered. For example: "The unexpected questions from the audience flustered the speaker."
• If a student forgets their notes before an exam, they may fluster and struggle to focus. For instance: "She was totally flustered when she realized her notes were missing."
• If you are late to an appointment and rush to get ready, you can easily feel flustered. For example: "He became flustered trying to find his keys while rushing out the door."

A well-known synonym is "agitate." The main difference is that "agitate" implies stirring up a strong emotion or making someone feel restless, while "fluster" focuses more on confusion and being overwhelmed.

Substitution

Instead of "fluster," you might use:

• "confuse" - This focuses more on the lack of understanding.
• "rattle" - This emphasizes being unsettled or disturbed.
• "upset" - This refers more to emotional disturbances but can imply confusion in some contexts.

Each substitution changes the tone slightly. For example, "rattle" suggests a more intense agitation compared to "fluster."

Deconstruction

The word "fluster" comes from the root "flust," which means to be in a confused or agitated state. It is linked to similar words like "flurry," which indicates a hectic or tumultuous situation. The suffix "-er" adds a sense of action to the verb, showing that it is something that causes confusion.

Inquiry

• Can you recall a time when you felt flustered? What happened?
• How do you react when you’re flustered? Do you get quiet, or do you try to keep talking?
• In what situations do you think people are most likely to feel flustered?