1
as in hesitated
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
William Lloyd Garrison never once faltered in his demand that slavery be unconditionally abolished
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in trembled
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side
the cut tree seemed to falter for a moment before crashing to the ground
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Recent Examples of faltered
Mizzou was successful early but faltered late before hanging on.
—
Joseph Pastilha, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
For all of her dominance across Alpine skiing, in recent years Shiffrin had faltered on the sport’s biggest stage.
—The Sports Desk, NBC news, 18 Feb. 2026
The Trojans have completed their final cross-country road trip of the season, pulling out a 77-75 win against Penn State before a late comeback attempt faltered in an 89-82 loss to Ohio State.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, production of IV opioids faltered nationwide.
—Parker Crutchfield, STAT, 17 Feb. 2026
The Rams’ run game faltered when Dotson missed time last season due to an ankle injury, so the idea is to provide better immediate depth while hoping to develop Roberts for the future, all while acknowledging his space limitations.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
And it’s directed by Karim Aïnouz, a Brazilian director who once made the heated, moving dramas Madame Satan and The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão but in recent years has faltered with works like the disastrous Firebrand and the atmospheric but tedious Motel Destino.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Feb. 2026
The experience is reminiscent of the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, when another heavy favorite for gold, Nathan Chen, faltered in the short program of the men’s event and finished 17th.
—Alice Park, Time, 14 Feb. 2026
Confidence in the software industry has largely faltered in recent weeks, with The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF down 21% over the past month.
—Sean Conlon,liz Napolitano, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
Joseph Pastilha, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
For all of her dominance across Alpine skiing, in recent years Shiffrin had faltered on the sport’s biggest stage.
—The Sports Desk, NBC news, 18 Feb. 2026
The Trojans have completed their final cross-country road trip of the season, pulling out a 77-75 win against Penn State before a late comeback attempt faltered in an 89-82 loss to Ohio State.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, production of IV opioids faltered nationwide.
—Parker Crutchfield, STAT, 17 Feb. 2026
The Rams’ run game faltered when Dotson missed time last season due to an ankle injury, so the idea is to provide better immediate depth while hoping to develop Roberts for the future, all while acknowledging his space limitations.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
And it’s directed by Karim Aïnouz, a Brazilian director who once made the heated, moving dramas Madame Satan and The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão but in recent years has faltered with works like the disastrous Firebrand and the atmospheric but tedious Motel Destino.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Feb. 2026
The experience is reminiscent of the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, when another heavy favorite for gold, Nathan Chen, faltered in the short program of the men’s event and finished 17th.
—Alice Park, Time, 14 Feb. 2026
Confidence in the software industry has largely faltered in recent weeks, with The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF down 21% over the past month.
—Sean Conlon,liz Napolitano, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faltered
Verb
-
Jackson hesitated — the job required him to leave the seminary six months short of graduation.—
Johanna Neuman,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Even then, his father, Chris Oettinger, hesitated to believe his Olympic dreams would become a reality — until the roster was announced last month.—
Lia Assimakopoulos
Dallas Stars,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The stock wobbled for a few days immediately after the report but then rose sharply, from about $6 per share to $15 per share by the end of May 2025.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Darcy Kuemper, goalie, B+ Anton Forsberg, goalie, B+ Both members of the Kings’ goalie tandem have stolen points at times and wobbled a bit at others.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Karen Powers shuddered at what the adjuster said next, Shaun Powers said.—
J.C. Hallman,
Oklahoman,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Her body shuddered in a wave of tremors.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Knight shook her head and reiterated that this was indeed her final Olympic game.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Their deaths shook this state and the nation.—
Kenety S. Gee,
Twin Cities,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Alba rocked one of her favorite bikinis—a playful boho paisley and animal print number in deep shades of red and orange.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Monday’s shooting came nearly two months after Rhode Island was rocked by a shooting at Brown University that left two students dead and wounded nine others, as well as a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor.—
Kimberlee Kruesi,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But at the time, and for the rest of his life, his resolve never wavered.—
Jim Williams,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
But through it all, his devotion to her never wavered.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The big polar bear lurched forward, hitting top speed in two strides.—
Scott Haugen,
Outdoor Life,
4 Feb. 2026
-
As Matt Woosnam reflected recently, the Premier League’s feel-good story has lurched into night terrors.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Faltered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faltered. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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