: marked by a lack of sureness or effectiveness
spoke in a halting manner
Examples of halting in a Sentence
She answered in a halting voice.
The baby took a few halting steps.
Progress in the negotiations has been halting.
Recent Examples on the Web
In the real world, this would be a cue for some halting, awkward small talk, perhaps, or a passive-aggressive nod of acknowledgement, or just a simple cold shoulder.
—
Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Sep. 2025
Trump has repeatedly threatened to disband the pact — agreed during his first term — if Canada and Mexico, the US’ two biggest trading partners, fail to heed his demands, such as halting fentanyl flows to the US and curbing Chinese investment.
—semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2025
Since taking office in June, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has extended olive branches to the North, such as halting propaganda broadcasts into the North, but he has been repeatedly rebuffed.
—Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 22 Sep. 2025
If the Supreme Court agrees with those business leaders, then corporate America’s plans will be thrown into disarray again amid halting uncertainty.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for halting
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.
Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Sep. 2025
Trump has repeatedly threatened to disband the pact — agreed during his first term — if Canada and Mexico, the US’ two biggest trading partners, fail to heed his demands, such as halting fentanyl flows to the US and curbing Chinese investment.
—semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2025
Since taking office in June, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has extended olive branches to the North, such as halting propaganda broadcasts into the North, but he has been repeatedly rebuffed.
—Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 22 Sep. 2025
If the Supreme Court agrees with those business leaders, then corporate America’s plans will be thrown into disarray again amid halting uncertainty.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for halting
Cite this Entry
“Halting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halting. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
halting
adjective
halt·ing
ˈhȯl-tiŋ 
: being unsure or hesitant
spoke in a halting manner
haltingly
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share