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
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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

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teeter. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

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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