Synonym Chooser

How does the verb falter differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of falter are hesitate, vacillate, and waver. While all these words mean "to show irresolution or uncertainty," falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear.

never once faltered during her testimony

When would hesitate be a good substitute for falter?

The words hesitate and falter can be used in similar contexts, but hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing.

hesitated before answering the question

When is vacillate a more appropriate choice than falter?

The synonyms vacillate and falter are sometimes interchangeable, but vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision.

vacillated until events were out of control

In what contexts can waver take the place of falter?

In some situations, the words waver and falter are roughly equivalent. However, waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat.

wavered in his support of the rebels

Examples of falter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The French economy is faltering after an extended period of high interest rates. Courtenay Brown, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024 As Snoop pointed out, even when Reba turned around, Katie’s eyes lit up, but her vocal didn’t falter. Charlie Mason, TVLine, 15 Oct. 2024 In recent years, China’s faltering demand has kept commodity prices lower. Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2024 The earnings season is off to a shaky start, and there are major doubts over whether China’s stimulus efforts can boost the region’s faltering economy. Vivek Wadhwa, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for falter 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'falter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near falter

Cite this Entry

“Falter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falter. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on falter

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