falteringly

adverb

Definition of falteringlynext
as in hesitatingly

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for falteringly
  1. hesitantly
  2. haltingly
  3. tentatively
Adverb
  • In the public imagination, Housewives with a capital H are fame-hungry attention hogs who would rather throw the $400 bottle of Château Brane-Cantenac Margaux that’s sitting in front of us than sip it, as Cosby is hesitantly doing now.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Diane refuses, but April hesitantly makes the trip, only to learn that Theo — an artistic dilettante who lives in the city with his girlfriend, Lucy (Odessa A’zion) — has been lunching with Sandra behind her back.
    — Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of hesitantly
Adverb
  • The revolutionary idea that the ruled rather than the rulers decide the rules emerged only haltingly.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The department exists to preserve some semblance of equal justice in the United States — imperfectly, haltingly, often overbearingly for some and cautiously for others — and help ensure that the nation is governed by the rule of law.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of haltingly
Adverb
  • Eleven people gathered in a circle, tentatively following her lead.
    — Kendra Nordin Beato, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Flores is due in federal court on Thursday in the Southern District of New York for a bond hearing, and a trial date has been tentatively set for June 2027.
    — Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of tentatively
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

faltering
falteringly
falters
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Falteringly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falteringly. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of bon vivant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All