started to founder

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "started to founder" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something is beginning to fail or struggle, often in a metaphorical sense. Example: "The project started to founder when the team lost its funding and direction."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

But when the fur market started to founder in the 1980s, the nutria population soared and started to endanger the fragile ecosystem.

The New York Times

By April, however, the program had started to founder amid reports of ethnic gang violence, sexual assaults, extortion, and drug abuse in its training camps.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Last week Sainsbury's new chief executive Mike Coupe set out his strategy for the retailer which only recently started to founder.

The Guardian - Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

He also kept an eye on the company's financials and reconnected with his professional network in case it became clear the organization was starting to founder.

Harvard Business Review

The bargaining hand of the U.K. is not strong, especially if the economy starts to founder or go into outright recession, as investors delay investment or move their money elsewhere.

Huffington Post

"It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of Silicon Valley VCs started to tell founders, 'We'd like you to go over the bridge to Oakland, or we'd like you to go to Stockton,'" Parker says.

Forbes

The watershed moment was in 2009 when the co-founder of Netscape, Marc Andreessen, formed a venture firm and started to invest in founders with the goal to teach them how to be CEOs for the long term.

University of California, Berkeley

Several years ago we started to hear First Round founders talking about an amazing new tool called Looker.

Huffington Post

"I can remember when the British retail federation got behind labeling there, that was when things really started to happen there," said Ronnie Cummins, founder and national director of the Organic Consumers Association.

The New York Times

It seems that acquirers doing talent hires are starting to offer founders more flexibility in sustaining their work independently if the products are not of strategic value.

TechCrunch

That will start to change, as founder Chris Saad is starting a road show presentation to talk at a high level about what he's trying to accomplish.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "started to founder" to describe the initial stages of decline or failure of a project, organization, or system. It suggests that the problems are just beginning to surface.

Common error

While "started to founder" is acceptable, overuse in very formal or scientific writing might reduce impact. Consider stronger, more direct synonyms like "failed" or "collapsed" to avoid diluting the message.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "started to founder" functions as a verb phrase indicating the commencement of a failure or decline. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it effectively conveys the beginning stages of something going wrong.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Encyclopedias

17%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "started to founder" effectively communicates the beginning of a decline or failure. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in written English. While not exceedingly common, it finds suitable usage across news, encyclopedic, and academic contexts. For alternatives, consider "began to fail" or "started to decline", depending on the nuance you wish to convey. Use sparingly in highly formal contexts for maximum impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Began to fail

Replaces "started" with "began" and "founder" with "fail", offering a more straightforward expression of the same concept.

Began to falter

Implies an unsteady or hesitant start towards failure.

Started to decline

Substitutes "founder" with "decline", emphasizing a gradual deterioration.

Started to deteriorate

Highlights the process of worsening over time.

Began to struggle

Replaces "founder" with "struggle", focusing on the difficulty or effort involved.

Started to unravel

Suggests that something is falling apart or losing its structure.

Began to collapse

Emphasizes a sudden and complete failure, making it a stronger alternative.

Started going downhill

An idiomatic expression indicating a decline in quality or condition.

Began to disintegrate

Emphasizes a breakdown into smaller parts, indicating a severe form of failure.

Started to weaken

Focuses on a loss of strength or effectiveness.

FAQs

What does "started to founder" mean?

The phrase "started to founder" means something has begun to fail or experience difficulties. It suggests an initial stage of decline.

What can I say instead of "started to founder"?

You can use alternatives like "began to fail", "began to struggle", or "started to decline" depending on the context.

How to use "started to founder" in a sentence?

Example: "The project "started to founder" when key personnel left the team."

Is "started to founder" formal or informal?

The phrase "started to founder" is suitable for both neutral and slightly formal contexts, such as news articles and business reports. Consider more direct synonyms for highly formal or scientific writing.