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
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of totter
Gorbachev was desperate to ease the burden of the arms race on his tottering communist system, and Reagan had long harbored an ambition to abolish nuclear weapons altogether.
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Editorial Board, Washington Post, 17 June 2024
These include a chocolate-brown safe about five feet tall that reveals itself to be full of bobbleheads, the tottering rictus of Suns-era Stephon Marbury peering out at me from the dark.
—Giri Nathan, Vulture, 22 Mar. 2024
The singer’s sweeping eyeliner, tottering heels and disheveled beehive are still instantly recognizable, 13 years after her death.
—Simran Hans, New York Times, 16 May 2024
The result, critics say: the government and its already tottering institutions were further weakened.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for totter 
Editorial Board, Washington Post, 17 June 2024
These include a chocolate-brown safe about five feet tall that reveals itself to be full of bobbleheads, the tottering rictus of Suns-era Stephon Marbury peering out at me from the dark.
—Giri Nathan, Vulture, 22 Mar. 2024
The singer’s sweeping eyeliner, tottering heels and disheveled beehive are still instantly recognizable, 13 years after her death.
—Simran Hans, New York Times, 16 May 2024
The result, critics say: the government and its already tottering institutions were further weakened.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for totter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totter
Verb
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Parachute's Eco Comfort mattress is discounted from its usual $2,400 to $1,680 (for the queen-size), with other bed size savings staggered accordingly.Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Dec. 2024
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That said, while individual stocks staggered, the broader market advanced.Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Lindner also spoke ahead of Monday's vote, and blamed the coalition's downfall on its inability to come up with solutions to boost the country's faltering economy, which in turn alienated voters.H.J. Mai, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024
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The rally comes as markets in Asia and Europe faltered on lackluster economic data from China and broader uncertainty about the global economic outlook.Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The crew called the lead flight attendant onboard, but within a few seconds, the airplane lurched.Alexandra Skores, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
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In the end, UnitedHealth paid a bitcoin ransom worth some twenty-two million dollars, and the system lurched back online.Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The one man who should have been there was Daddy, but in his place stood a photographer who, trembling, held the camera and filmed these moments for Daddy.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
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Dramatically reenacting the scene in the special, Foxx’s legs tremble, his eyes wide.Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The entire cycle of wobbling north to south and north again takes 18.6 years.Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
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To keep your cutting board from wobbling, place a damp paper or kitchen towel under the board to keep it in from shifting.Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot delves into a crime that shook the town of Channelview, Texas, in 1991.Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
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Senseless acts of this nature can shake the community to its core.Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This year, Clarkson rocked a black suede coat with super-fluffy shearling trim at the lapels, cuffs, and hem, finishing the look with black boots and gleaming silver hoops.Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 14 Dec. 2024
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Balon 4-Piece Brush and Comb Set Lots of teen boys are rocking more hair on their heads right now, and my kid is right there with them.Terri Peters, Parents, 13 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Totter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totter. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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