Cryptic crossword clue
Floundering, showing weakness crossing line 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word FLAILING

I've seen this crossword clue in The Sunday Telegraph
F
L
A
I
L
I
N
G

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Floundering" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case floundering = flailing.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does FLAILING mean?

FLAILING verb
  1. To beat using a flail or similar implement.
  2. To wave or swing vigorously
  3. To thresh.
  4. To move like a flail.
FLAILING noun
  1. A flailing action or motion.

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