teeter

1 of 2

verb

tee·​ter ˈtē-tər How to pronounce teeter (audio)
teetered; teetering; teeters

intransitive verb

1
a
: to move unsteadily : wobble
b
: waver, vacillate
teetered on the brink of bankruptcy
2
: seesaw

teeter

2 of 2

noun

Examples of teeter in a Sentence

Verb The pile of books teetered and fell to the floor. She teetered down the street in her high heels.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Verb
Yet in spite of its nationwide fame, this animal teetered on the brink of extinction just a few years ago. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024 Even before last week’s crisis, Cuba was already teetering on an energy crisis with an aging power grid and looming fuel shortages. Justine Calma, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2024
Noun
As our planet teeters on the brink, the Arctic 30’s courage echoes louder than ever. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2024 The world’s gotten a lot more dangerous in the last few days as the dockworkers’ strike threatens to hike the likes of grocery prices and the Mideast teeters on the brink of widespread warfare. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for teeter 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English titeren to totter, reel; akin to Old High German zittarōn to shiver

First Known Use

Verb

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of teeter was in 1844

Dictionary Entries Near teeter

Cite this Entry

“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teeter. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

teeter

verb
tee·​ter
ˈtēt-ər
1
a
: to move unsteadily
teetered on the edge and fell over the side
2
teeter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on teeter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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