Synonym Chooser

How does the verb falter differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of falter are hesitate, vacillate, and waver. While all these words mean "to show irresolution or uncertainty," falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear.

never once faltered during her testimony

When would hesitate be a good substitute for falter?

The words hesitate and falter can be used in similar contexts, but hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing.

hesitated before answering the question

When is vacillate a more appropriate choice than falter?

The synonyms vacillate and falter are sometimes interchangeable, but vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision.

vacillated until events were out of control

In what contexts can waver take the place of falter?

In some situations, the words waver and falter are roughly equivalent. However, waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat.

wavered in his support of the rebels

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of falter The Street is critical of Cornell for not initiating enough changes and corrections to improve Target’s business, which has been faltering for several seasons. David Moin, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2025 Butterflies attuned to rainfall falter in drought. Marion Renault, The Atlantic, 29 Sep. 2025 Despite a 13-3 surge in August, the club faltered in September and slipped out of the race. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2025 Max Verstappen's victories in the last two Grands Prix have brought him back into the championship fight, although the 69-point gap to Piastri can only be achieved if McLaren falters on every race weekend. Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for falter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falter
Verb
  • Shaking in his seat, Dobby initially hesitated to comment on the subject, but then segment anchor Michael Che offered him some encouragement.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2025
  • The director hesitated to watch the film at the Cannes Classics showing.
    Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Westerners call them quakers, for the way the leaves tremble in the wind, but these had no leaves on them now.
    Robert Merchant, Outdoor Life, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The lesson isn’t that investors tremble when Fed chairs talk about stocks.
    Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Signs of life from defensive sectors and consumer cyclicals wobbling might suggest the market is more preoccupied with near-term downside macroeconomic risk, as we likely are headed into a government shutdown and an official-data vacuum.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
  • And the Giants have wobbled in proximity to that mediocre mark in each of the past four seasons.
    Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Weak to light shaking was recorded, and people in several cities - such as Big Bear City, Big Bear Lake and Angelus Oaks - reported experiencing the tremor, according to the USGS DYFI report.
    CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The region has been shaken Other nations in the region have been affected by the tumult.
    Susan Page, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In our testing, the Bluetooth connection never wavered, with long-term use confirming a roughly year-long battery life.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 7 Oct. 2025
  • That certainty hasn’t wavered even as some senior GOP appropriators castigate Vought’s actions.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Earth shuddered with yet another wave of extinctions in this initial chill.
    Peter Brannen, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Walking into Lincoln with a freshman quarterback and a fill-in head coach is the kind of situation that would make most teams shudder.
    Austin Meek, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Falter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falter. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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