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
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.
Verb
Donald Trump’s administration is teetering on the precipice of another constitutional crisis with the courts that has been prompted by a single rogue district judge.—The Editors, National Review, 9 July 2025 There have been notable moments when the Yankees were rolling and the Mets were teetering on the fringes of mediocrity or outright experiencing a nightmare season.—Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
Noun
However, the movie often teeters awkwardly between authenticity and spectacle.—Kanzah Maktoum, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025 Fans of Boy Meets World often say that the show teeters off in its final two seasons, but the stars shared which season 6 episode really falls flat.—Daysia Tolentino, EW.com, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for teeter
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English titeren to totter, reel; akin to Old High German zittarōn to shiver
Share