as in senile
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Dissimilar Words
as in lurching
to move forward while swaying from side to side
was doddering down the walk outside the nursing home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of doddering
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2025
The trio find work at the Planet Express Delivery Company, founded by Fry’s doddering descendant, Professor Hubert Farnsworth.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 21 July 2025
The secondary villain is a doddering, power-hungry elderly man with an unruly mop of hair and a flock of advisors who constantly shower him with unearned praise.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 9 July 2025
Does the diagnosis explain Biden’s occasionally doddering affect?
—Adam B. Kushner, New York Times, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for doddering
Adjective
Sure, this doddering middle-aged version of Ozzy Osbourne was every bit as much a persona as the earlier guy.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2025
The trio find work at the Planet Express Delivery Company, founded by Fry’s doddering descendant, Professor Hubert Farnsworth.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 21 July 2025
The secondary villain is a doddering, power-hungry elderly man with an unruly mop of hair and a flock of advisors who constantly shower him with unearned praise.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 9 July 2025
Does the diagnosis explain Biden’s occasionally doddering affect?
—Adam B. Kushner, New York Times, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for doddering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doddering
Adjective
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They are being given directions by a senile old man who is losing his mind.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
His older brother, played by Paul Wesley, has died under mysterious circumstances, forcing Ethan to return home to contend with that grief, with the stark fact of his senile mother, and with the resentments of former friends who view his departure as a betrayal.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Still, morale is much worse compared with December 2024, before DOGE took aim at the health agency's budgets and staffing, and before rounds of lurching job cuts and reinstatements left thousands of CDC workers in limbo or severed from their careers.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026
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There are plenty of differences, but the stability Atleti have fostered in sticking with Simeone stands in stark contrast to Spurs’ habit of lurching between managers, styles and approaches.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
They were described as an elderly couple, the CHP said.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Many people are ignored for decades, particularly great performers and elderly folks who conceal their qualities.—
Lucy Jones
April 11,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the Transit officers descended down to the 4/5/6 platform, one of Griffin’s victims came staggering up the stairs, seeking medial attention, Tisch said.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
11 Apr. 2026
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This has led to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra staggering their minutes recently, as Herro and Powell only logged nine minutes together in Tuesday’s road loss to the Raptors.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Cunningham’s Fisher-Price pianos and decrepit drums are unmistakable, as is Ciani’s Buchla, which whooshes and rattles like a steam engine barreling down the tracks.—
Andrew Ryce,
Pitchfork,
9 Apr. 2026
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Goma is married as a 7-year-old to a decrepit 70-year-old man.—
Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Models are tottering on the cobblestoned Bond Street with their heels getting stuck in the rivets.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
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Now, even that tiny effort is tottering.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Beyond her XPrize work, Justice is an adjunct assistant professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University.—
Renée Onque,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
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How to Maintain Good Vitamin D Levels Most people don’t need supplements to maintain healthy vitamin D levels, says Helen Lavretsky, MD, a geriatric psychiatrist, a professor, and the director of research at the Integrative Medicine Collaborative at the University of California in Los Angeles.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This is where the city stages its daily open-air show — street artists sketching portraits, fortune-tellers shuffling cards and musicians playing for appreciative crowds.—
Lauren Schuster,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
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Its elegant twill pattern is both durable for rigorous travel and premium-looking for serving looks at the airport, while its interior has an expandable compartment, one mesh pocket, and elastic tie-down straps to keep your belongings from shuffling around.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Doddering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doddering. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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