1
as in staggered
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 faltered
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side
the figurine tottered precariously for a moment before falling off the shelf
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tottered
Verb
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Hunt times are staggered according to age groups.—
Kaycee Sloan,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
1 Apr. 2026 -
Plus, the Herro and Powell minutes likely will continue to be as staggered as when one started and one played in reserve, with Herro subbed out midway through Wednesday night’s first quarter.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Washington led 111-106 with 6 1/2 minutes remaining, but the Wizards defense faltered after that.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Fland’s defense — his calling card — faltered on the decisive play.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Since then, the larger culture has lurched rightward, with big corporations abandoning progressive signaling in favor of…other priorities.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
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Over the course of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s term, CPS has lurched from budget crisis to budget crisis, able only to muddle through due to record-breaking mayoral declarations of tax-increment-financing surpluses.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Semiconductors, the last remnant of tech-stock leadership, have wobbled, including some severe profit-taking in memory stocks.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
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Powerhouse Duke wobbled into an improbable, surreal 11-point halftime deficit against Siena.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When Bradford delivered the detail about the sandwich, the board and attendees laughed and shook their heads.—
Chevall Pryce,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Apr. 2026
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Stocks shook off an early stumble to finish with slim gains on Wall Street Thursday and close out their first winning week since the start of the Iran war.—
Damian J. Troise,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the war with Iran has rocked markets, sending the Dow and Nasdaq into correction territory.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
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The horrific shooting has rocked the Plainville community, with its reverberations being felt throughout the state.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At least the elevator still creaked and shuddered, as in the old days, finally trembling open on the eighth floor.—
Rick Bragg,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2026
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Later, when Tristan gently put his hand on Marke’s shoulder, the king shuddered.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Tottered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tottered. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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