1
as in to stagger
to move forward while swaying from side to side
tottered around the house as she practiced walking in high heels
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to falter
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side
the figurine tottered precariously for a moment before falling off the shelf
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of totter
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
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
Iraqi state institutions such as these were already tottering, and these actions threaten to erode them further.
—Michael Knights, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2023
European auto sales charts are filled with red ink as economies totter but a rare positive story surrounds Toyota’s premium subsidy Lexus, which will be helped by its newest electric vehicle, the RZ 300e.
—Neil Winton, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for totter
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2025
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
Iraqi state institutions such as these were already tottering, and these actions threaten to erode them further.
—Michael Knights, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2023
European auto sales charts are filled with red ink as economies totter but a rare positive story surrounds Toyota’s premium subsidy Lexus, which will be helped by its newest electric vehicle, the RZ 300e.
—Neil Winton, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for totter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totter
Verb
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Payments are staggered based on recipients’ birthdays, with those born in the first 10 days of a month receiving their checks on the second Wednesday, and so on.—
Teresa Ghilarducci,
Forbes,
25 Mar. 2025
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And 20 of the 40 seats in the California State Senate (which has four-year terms) will also be contested, as Senate seats are staggered with half up for election every two years.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The New York Yankees are reeling from injuries but still figure to be a tough opponent, and the Baltimore Orioles, coming off a strong regular season last year, still have something to prove after faltering in the playoffs.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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Falling sales indicate that the company's financial health is fundamentally faltering as competitors are surging, particularly rival BYD.—
Alan Ohnsman,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But the ruling did little to herald any political stability in the country, which has lurched from crisis to crisis.—
Choe Sang-Hun,
New York Times,
24 Mar. 2025
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For the last six weeks, Americans have been yanked and ghosted, lurched and launched with a merciless urgency.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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As gold flirts with all-time highs again, headlines are quick to shout what many family offices already know: when the world trembles, gold glitters.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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An anxiety disorder may come with symptoms such as excessive worry, restlessness, irritability, or in some cases sweating, trembling, chest pain, and nausea.—
Alex Yampolsky,
Verywell Health,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images Stocks are wobbling.—
Kevin Williams,
CNBC,
22 Mar. 2025
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Stocks wobbled early, rebounded and then lost momentum in the afternoon.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In the past, Boston has been able to shake off adversity and remain successful.—
Carol Schram,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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New tariffs take effect this week upending global alliances, shaking business and consumer confidence, and rattling the markets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2025
Verb
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With the team shooting 14.7 percent in his minutes and rocking a 0.914 save percentage, there is an element of luck in play here.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
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The big picture: The indoor vertical farming sector has been rocked by closures over the past few years.—
Katie Fehrenbacher,
Axios,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Totter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totter. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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