Synonyms of faltering

faltering 1 of 3

noun

as in hesitation

a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action

when it's so clear that this is the right thing to do, there's no excuse for faltering

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hesitation
• pause
• hesitancy
• hesitance
• delay
• wavering
• wobbling
• indecision
• vacillation
• irresolution
• uncertainty
• deliberation
• waiting
• fence-sitting
• doubt
• shilly-shallying
• reluctance
• shilly-shally
• procrastination
• debate
• consideration
• indecisiveness
• second thought
• hawing
• incertitude
• unwillingness
• arrière-pensée
• indetermination
• timidity
• faintheartedness
• indisposition
• misgiving
• avoidance
• uncertainness
• equivocation
• disinclination
• timidness
• shyness
• aversion

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• determination
• confidence
• resolution
• certainty
• firmness
• certitude
• readiness
• decisiveness
• eagerness
• sureness
• alacrity
• resoluteness

faltering

2 of 3

adjective

as in wobbly

Related Words

• wobbly
• uncertain
• unsure
• questioning
• irresolute
• vacillating
• doubtful
• undecided
• conflicted
• ambivalent
• afraid
• reluctant
• equivocal
• hesitant
• loath
• indisposed
• dubious
• disinclined

Dissimilar Words

• certain
• decided
• resolute
• sure
• unambivalent
• unquestioning

faltering

3 of 3

verb

present participle of falter

1

as in hesitating

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

• hesitating
• vacillating
• wavering
• halting
• dithering
• waiting
• staggering
• wobbling
• debating
• hanging back
• balancing
• pausing
• teetering
• scrupling
• swaying
• lingering
• delaying
• shilly-shallying
• pondering
• dawdling
• procrastinating
• hawing
• weighing
• hemming
• deliberating
• backing down
• considering
• oscillating
• waffling
• equivocating
• hedging
• dallying
• chickening (out)
• pussyfooting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deciding
• plunging (in)
• diving (in)
• continuing
• stirring
• advancing
• budging

2

as in trembling

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

• trembling
• wobbling
• shaking
• shuddering
• rocking
• wavering
• tottering
• lurching
• vibrating
• quivering
• teetering
• floundering
• stumbling
• quaking
• quavering
• staggering
• reeling
• toddling
• weaving
• careening

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of faltering

Noun

The early lead against Clemson, despite recent faltering by Swinney's program, and the prospect of a 3-0 record were signs that Belichick's hiring was finally paying dividends. — ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026

Reeve doesn’t see the team feeling an urgency to find a solution to its defensive faltering. — Anya Armentrout, Twin Cities, 19 July 2026

Many in town say the struggle to transform Scotia mirrors a larger struggle in Humboldt County, which has been rocked, first by the faltering of its logging industry and more recently by the collapse of its cannabis economy. — Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026

The Reds' season can be described as consistently inconsistent but playing well down the stretch and the New York Mets faltering has led to an opportunity to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2020. — Jason Hoffman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Sep. 2025

And the media went along with her coverup, despite Biden’s obvious faltering. — Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 7 Aug. 2025

Adjective

The star rocker then insists the lake name change was a diversion from a faltering presidency. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2026

The messages, along with public corruption and the government’s faltering response to Hurricane María, brought thousands into the streets. — Helena Alonso Paisley, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026

Means, from his perch, had pushed back on characterizations that the MAHA movement was faltering, serving as an insider voice witnessing Kennedy at work. — Chelsea Cirruzzo, STAT, 22 Oct. 2026

Politicians may read those numbers and think twice before stepping in to rescue faltering AI firms. — Ruchir Sharma, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026

This time, after being four outs from stealing Game 1 before faltering, then pulling off an epic Game 2 win, the Phillies reverted to their worst selves in Game 3. — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Of course, that means little when even Coker’s career-high performance was not enough for the Panthers’ faltering defense, which gave up a franchise record 59 points. — Charlotte Observer, 14 Sep. 2026

Papadopoulos relies on this faltering system that is now endangered. — Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026

The film spells out the gargantuan payouts that each Boeing CEO has received, despite the crashes and questions about their actions and the company’s faltering value. — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Verb

That investigation has shown signs of faltering amid a spate of staff turnovers and delays. — ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026

European regulators are putting fierce pressure on Tesla regarding potential road safety issues, while faltering US sales are bringing the economic viability of an international rollout into question. — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2026

Analysts noted that the brand was bucking trends among Chinese consumers, where most luxury brands have been faltering this quarter. — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026

There were early indicators that both programs and public engagement were faltering under the board’s new leadership. — E. Andrew Taylor, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026

The grandees of Gullen have set their hopes on Claire’s bankrolling their faltering community’s recovery. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Late last year, Kushner was called on to help with the faltering talks to end the war in Ukraine. — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

China will inject $45 billion into its largest banks and insurers, its biggest recapitalization push in decades as Beijing looks to boost the country’s faltering economy. — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026

But to arrest that decline, governments will have to address the faltering state capacity that is driving it. — Jennifer Pahlka, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026