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
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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
Diplomatic efforts aimed at a more durable peace have faltered.
—
Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 17 May 2026
The ceasefire remains tenuous, with diplomatic efforts for a more durable peace having faltered.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
And Randle’s 3-point shooting faltered with his confidence.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 16 May 2026
The line faltered in the postseason and especially in the Patriots’ Super Bowl LX loss to the Seahawks.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 14 May 2026
Armenia is one of the founding members of the CSTO, but its relationships with the organization and Russia have faltered over the past few years.
—Mark Temnycky, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Although reports in recent days have once again hinted at movement toward a possible deal, negotiations over a durable end to the conflict have repeatedly faltered over differences between the two countries on a range of issues, from Iran’s nuclear program to control over the Strait of Hormuz.
—Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 9 May 2026
Where the show faltered last night, however, was in assuming a one-size-fits-all approach to its pop-star-hosting formula.
—Charu Sinha, Vulture, 3 May 2026
The merger, announced about a year ago, faltered for several reasons.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 17 May 2026
The ceasefire remains tenuous, with diplomatic efforts for a more durable peace having faltered.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
And Randle’s 3-point shooting faltered with his confidence.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 16 May 2026
The line faltered in the postseason and especially in the Patriots’ Super Bowl LX loss to the Seahawks.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 14 May 2026
Armenia is one of the founding members of the CSTO, but its relationships with the organization and Russia have faltered over the past few years.
—Mark Temnycky, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Although reports in recent days have once again hinted at movement toward a possible deal, negotiations over a durable end to the conflict have repeatedly faltered over differences between the two countries on a range of issues, from Iran’s nuclear program to control over the Strait of Hormuz.
—Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 9 May 2026
Where the show faltered last night, however, was in assuming a one-size-fits-all approach to its pop-star-hosting formula.
—Charu Sinha, Vulture, 3 May 2026
The merger, announced about a year ago, faltered for several reasons.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faltered
Verb
-
But they are mentioned without context, in a way that underlines the Smithsonian’s touchy relationship with an administration that has not hesitated to strong-arm the institution.—
Kelsey Ables,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
-
Times when studios hesitated about festivals?—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Minnesota found its groove in the fourth quarter, while San Antonio’s legs wobbled.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
5 May 2026
-
If everyone succeeded, the box got shorter for the next round, while the other participants hovered nearby to catch anyone who wobbled.—
Lily Hautau,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
The way the stadium shuddered with noise.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
At least the elevator still creaked and shuddered, as in the old days, finally trembling open on the eighth floor.—
Rick Bragg,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Her plea will spare a lengthy discovery period and likely mark the legal denouement of a federal probe that shook Sacramento after the FBI recorded dozens of lobbyists in the summer of 2024 as part of the investigation.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
14 May 2026
-
The writer-director sets her sophomore feature barely two years after the country shook off the despot’s iron grip.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The judiciary said Shahbakhsh carried out his attacks during protests that rocked Iran in 2022 and 2023 following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian Kurdish woman.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
The cruise ship rocked by an unprecedented Andes hantavirus outbreak arrived in the Canary Islands off the coast of Tenerife Island over the weekend and is being evacuated.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Like Hart, Brunson never wavered either.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
Despite everything, Clementine's temperament never wavered when interacting with the ARC staff and care team.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
So between those two things, the balance of gerrymanders has lurched pretty abruptly toward the right.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, federal policy has lurched in opposite directions.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Faltered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faltered. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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