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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of faltered
A certain perception of Arsenal’s mental frailties persists, as if this is not just the same team that faltered in the final stages in 2022-23 but the same one that habitually cracked under pressure in the later years of Wenger’s tenure.
—
Oliver Kay, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
David McNair, executive director of ONE Data, told Semafor the drop in lending reflected a period in which China’s economy faltered and its priorities shifted.
—semafor.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Her employer later uncovered her identity and reported her to authorities after her performance faltered, and she was demoted.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
That decline was partly due to its struggling wine and spirits division that faltered in 2025.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 Jan. 2026
Their sense of duty and devotion to the Crown never faltered, although Philip found his role frustrating, especially in the early years.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Their colonies faltered and by 1500 had disappeared.
—Genevieve Lemoine, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2026
Madrid’s leadership faltered, never empowering their manager to instill a collective philosophy—highlighting the ongoing failure to embrace the approach that made Barcelona memorable.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Traffic in restaurants faltered, as budget-conscious customers ate out less often and spent less.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Oliver Kay, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
David McNair, executive director of ONE Data, told Semafor the drop in lending reflected a period in which China’s economy faltered and its priorities shifted.
—semafor.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Her employer later uncovered her identity and reported her to authorities after her performance faltered, and she was demoted.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
That decline was partly due to its struggling wine and spirits division that faltered in 2025.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 Jan. 2026
Their sense of duty and devotion to the Crown never faltered, although Philip found his role frustrating, especially in the early years.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Their colonies faltered and by 1500 had disappeared.
—Genevieve Lemoine, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2026
Madrid’s leadership faltered, never empowering their manager to instill a collective philosophy—highlighting the ongoing failure to embrace the approach that made Barcelona memorable.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Traffic in restaurants faltered, as budget-conscious customers ate out less often and spent less.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faltered
Verb
-
Asked if this was a statement game, Dahlin hesitated.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
-
While competitors hesitated, Tesla built data depth and operational learning that now underpin its long-term advantage.—
Matthew C. Meade,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That border too wobbled well into the 1930s which ultimately left Mount Ararat inside Turkey.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Gauthier entered Monday with a team-high 19 goals for an Anaheim squad that started strong but has wobbled in recent weeks.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
No one spoke until Chuky shuddered his head and this time without laughing said, Shit, that’s crazy.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
East Denver sushi fans shuddered in late December when Okinawa Japanese Cuisine, a mainstay on Colfax Avenue since 2010, closed and boarded up its doors with brown paper.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This should have people across the country absolutely shook.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Jan. 2026
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The birth of Endeavor startled Hollywood, but Endeavor’s subsequent takeover of powerhouse William Morris shook the town to its core.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The fallout continues from the aggressive tactics of federal agents in Minnesota, with bipartisan calls for accountability after the state was rocked by two fatal shootings this month.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
-
So while the market will pay close attention to interest rate developments and indications, much of the scrutiny will go toward the ancillary events that have rocked the central bank.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His confidence never wavered with us.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
But earlier this month in an interview with the Santa Clarita Valley news outlet the Signal, Goodman disputed that the Mercado family owned the business and said the father had wavered about keeping the restaurant going.—
Suhauna Hussain,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The entire tech industry lurched into motion.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
10 Jan. 2026
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The relentless Chacon lurched outside after her just as his car door opened and out popped their 6-year-old son, begging his dad to stop.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Faltered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faltered. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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