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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in wobbly
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of faltering
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
Mary Ellen Klas, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
The thing is, this presumption appears to be faltering.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The faltering trust fund will have huge implications for infrastructure spending over the next few years if Congress doesn’t come up with a solution.
—Henry Grabar, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026
Meanwhile, European support for Ukraine appears to be faltering.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 27 May 2026
Even the involuntary action of breathing was labored, and constantly faltering.
—Casey Ross, STAT, 19 May 2026
And parents will spend money on youth sports even amid a faltering economy.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026
Sadly, Luna’s inert fourth feature behind the camera, Ashes (Ceniza en la Boca), is unlikely to course-correct that faltering trajectory.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
How seriously the club’s owners at Fenway Sports Group (FSG) take this next transfer window will potentially determine how quickly this faltering team get back on track.
—Gregg Evans, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
But now, as the public understands the consequences of our faltering democracy, more people are talking about it, Drutman said.
—Mary Ellen Klas, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
Tangent The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board specifically calls out declining pandemic preparedness funding as a result of faltering political attention.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
With most tropical reefs expected to face conditions like the Gulf’s by 2100—and already faltering under increasingly frequent marine heat waves—that makes the Gulf’s coral a source of valuable genetic information about resilience that could have implications for the rest of the world’s reefs.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
Meanwhile, the company that made their name keeps faltering towards the point of no return.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 6 May 2026
Most of that was driven by faltering corporation tax receipts.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026
The Magic played well before faltering down the stretch and had to win an elimination game in the play-in tournament.
—ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026
In some ways, the pair of them have become symbolic of the hope that this team can rise again after faltering in recent weeks.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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
But now, as the public understands the consequences of a faltering democracy, more people are talking about it, Drutman said.
—Mary Ellen Klas, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
The thing is, this presumption appears to be faltering.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The faltering trust fund will have huge implications for infrastructure spending over the next few years if Congress doesn’t come up with a solution.
—Henry Grabar, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026
Meanwhile, European support for Ukraine appears to be faltering.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 27 May 2026
Even the involuntary action of breathing was labored, and constantly faltering.
—Casey Ross, STAT, 19 May 2026
And parents will spend money on youth sports even amid a faltering economy.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026
Sadly, Luna’s inert fourth feature behind the camera, Ashes (Ceniza en la Boca), is unlikely to course-correct that faltering trajectory.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
How seriously the club’s owners at Fenway Sports Group (FSG) take this next transfer window will potentially determine how quickly this faltering team get back on track.
—Gregg Evans, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Verb
After faltering in last year’s Div.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
But now, as the public understands the consequences of our faltering democracy, more people are talking about it, Drutman said.
—Mary Ellen Klas, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
Tangent The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board specifically calls out declining pandemic preparedness funding as a result of faltering political attention.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
With most tropical reefs expected to face conditions like the Gulf’s by 2100—and already faltering under increasingly frequent marine heat waves—that makes the Gulf’s coral a source of valuable genetic information about resilience that could have implications for the rest of the world’s reefs.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
Meanwhile, the company that made their name keeps faltering towards the point of no return.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 6 May 2026
Most of that was driven by faltering corporation tax receipts.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026
The Magic played well before faltering down the stretch and had to win an elimination game in the play-in tournament.
—ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026
In some ways, the pair of them have become symbolic of the hope that this team can rise again after faltering in recent weeks.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faltering
Noun
-
His party was in denial, and the hesitation cost them the general election.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
3 June 2026
-
Aside from his hesitations over the SNL cue cards, Holland has not shied away from live performance itself.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
But shouldering a wobbly, expensive summer tentpole is a risk — just ask Sam Worthington or Taylor Kitsch.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
Folks who can afford today’s lofty rents are a limited group, especially when the job market’s a tad wobbly.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The book does often feel like a recording of a mental jam session, but there is also a sense of being guided by a kind of hesitating yet urgent voice that needs to get things figured out.—
Craig Morgan Teicher,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
-
While their rivals started spending significant sums of money as soon as the 2024-25 season finished, Spurs wasted a couple of weeks hesitating about the long-term future of then head coach Ange Postecoglou before replacing him with Thomas Frank.—
David Ornstein,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Anthropic, one of OpenAI’s top competitors, has proposed mechanisms for coordinating pauses on advanced AI development if systems become too powerful.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
-
Located in the city's dynamic tech district, Whitefield, The Den Bengaluru seamlessly bridges heritage and innovation, offering an environment where guests can move seamlessly between focused work, casual connection, and moments of pause.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The fate of the House bill is uncertain in the Senate.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
5 June 2026
-
And yet, the complex plot comes down to the bond between Albus and Scorpius, who are living in their fathers’ shadows, bullied and uncertain of themselves, as their connections with their dads falter.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Art schools, like all schools, are wobbling under the illogic of the cost-benefit math.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Your calm precision can keep the whole plan from wobbling.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
His hesitancy could undermine one of DeSantis’ key arguments to sway voters, particularly those in small counties, in favor of the amendment.—
Romy Ellenbogen Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2026
-
Smith shared, citing his and Henson’s lack of a traditional film or music training as a reason for the hesitancy.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
When Arkansas implemented Medicaid work requirements in 2018, a Harvard survey found that more than 70% of affected residents remained unsure whether the policy was in place, even after the state sent nearly 600,000 letters, made 230,000 phone calls, and published hundreds of social media posts.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
Maradona, for his part, repeatedly backheeled the ball while sprinting at full pelt, leaving England defenders unsure whether to follow the player or the ball.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Faltering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faltering. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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