1
as in to falter
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side
he nervously teetered at the edge of the pool before finally diving in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to stagger
to move forward while swaying from side to side
the toddler teetered down the rink in her new ice skates
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to hesitate
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
was teetering on the brink of making a decision about college
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of teeter
This is the bridge Phoenix is now teetering dangerously close towards over the next calendar year.
—
Evan Sidery, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
The high-energy concerts had a lineup that teetered back and forth from modern artists like Anderson.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Feb. 2025
The country’s economy has teetered on the verge of collapse over the past few years.
—Avi Kumar, Fox News, 2 Feb. 2025
Taking flight from the fires in L.A., they were met with temperatures that teetered on the verge of single digits in the Big Apple.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for teeter
Evan Sidery, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
The high-energy concerts had a lineup that teetered back and forth from modern artists like Anderson.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Feb. 2025
The country’s economy has teetered on the verge of collapse over the past few years.
—Avi Kumar, Fox News, 2 Feb. 2025
Taking flight from the fires in L.A., they were met with temperatures that teetered on the verge of single digits in the Big Apple.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for teeter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeter
Verb
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If Maeda were to falter this spring, a role stashed away in the bullpen could be possible.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
The Athletic,
22 Feb. 2025
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The averages faltered Thursday as a weak forecast from retail giant Walmart stirred investors’ worries about the broader economy.—
Julie Coleman,
CNBC,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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As the bullet smashed into it the animal staggered, but came right on.—
Tom Stacer,
Outdoor Life,
20 Feb. 2025
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As minutes get staggered, being able to anchor a second unit and help out the starters while also on the court matters.—
Zach Harper,
The Athletic,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
If someone pops up out of the blue, don’t hesitate to connect with them.—
Lisa Stardust,
Vogue,
26 Feb. 2025
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By removing cost as an initial hurdle, companies can cast a wider net, reaching customers who might otherwise hesitate to make a purchase.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Even as Nvidia is raking in revenue and Big Tech is powering ahead with capex, confidence in the U.S. economy seems to be wobbling slightly.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Early into the second half, as Liverpool began to wobble, Marshall Munetsi, making his Premier League debut for Wolves as a second-half substitute, was slipped clear with a pass behind the home defence.—
Gregg Evans,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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For the 80 people on board the flight from Minneapolis, the world lurched immediately after the wheels hit the ground.—
Vjosa Isai,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2025
-
Fritz revved the engine, a desperate, needling whine, and the vessel lurched down the airstrip, the chute billowing awake behind him.—
Nick Paumgarten,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In Poland, the capricious degrees and forms of oppression, reflecting Stalin’s murderous personality, fostered a vacillating, self-deceptive kind of surrender by the captive mind, imprisoned not by bars or walls but by its own failures of conviction.—
Robert Pinsky,
The New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2025
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Yet all three novelists also refuse to narrate key moments of violence from the mind of a vacillating protagonist.—
Max Chapnick,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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There were towering Great Danes, tiny, trembling Chihuahuas, and every shape of fluff in between.—
Savannah White,
Glamour,
18 Feb. 2025
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The ground would tremble now as a 110-ton launcher closure door opens and the engine ignites.—
Alfredo Sosa,
The Christian Science Monitor,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Following the screening, guests caught Miu Miu cabs—or tottered the 10 minutes by foot—to Langan’s Brasserie.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2025
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Then there's the small, sweet moments—video of my goddaughter tottering in her first pair of shoes; my cat caught mid-yawn; a selfie of me and my dad on a date to the symphony.—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
18 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teeter. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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