teeter

1 of 2

verb

tee·​ter ˈtē-tər 

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

: seesaw sense 2b

Synonyms

Verb

• falter
• wobble
• tremble
• totter
• shake
• rock

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

Verb

The Cleveland Guardians, winners of 10 straight games and technically tied with Houston for the third AL wild-card spot, also own the tiebreaker over an Astros team teetering toward collapse. —Chandler Rome, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025

The two boxers teetered against each other, exhausted, until Padilla stepped in again, pulling Ali’s gloves off the back of Frazier’s neck. —Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025

Noun

This deepening also has an index in the formal features of his poetry—the ambiguity of his pronouns, the firm particularity of his register of images—which teeters between the mundane and the epiphanic, and renders this imbalance itself into view. —Elaine L. Wang september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025

Neither of them understands the other’s dynamic with Daniel, and the split-episode format keeps our sympathies teeter-tottering between each woman. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025

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

Phrases Containing teeter

• teeter-totter

Rhymes for teeter

• beater
• cheater
• dieter
• eater
• heater
• liter
• litre
• meter
• metre
• neater
• praetor
• seater

Kids Definition

teeter

verb

tee·​ter

ˈtēt-ər

1

a

: to move unsteadily

teetered on the edge and fell over the side

b

: waver sense 1

2

: seesaw entry 2 sense 2

teeter noun