1
as in to falter
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side
he nervously teetered at the edge of the pool before finally diving in
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to stagger
to move forward while swaying from side to side
the toddler teetered down the rink in her new ice skates
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to hesitate
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
was teetering on the brink of making a decision about college
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of teeter
No postseason switch will be flipped if the team’s collective battery is teetering on empty.
—
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2026
Related Stories Details were not immediately forthcoming, but the deal was expected to include a major cash infusion into the guild’s teetering health fund, which has bled $200 million over the last four years.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 4 Apr. 2026
While most people teeter on the spectrum between cool tones or warm tones, ladies with naturally neutral hair should embrace and enhance it.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026
The old liberal institutions may be teetering, but that doesn’t mean that all that’s left is the law of the jungle.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for teeter
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2026
Related Stories Details were not immediately forthcoming, but the deal was expected to include a major cash infusion into the guild’s teetering health fund, which has bled $200 million over the last four years.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 4 Apr. 2026
While most people teeter on the spectrum between cool tones or warm tones, ladies with naturally neutral hair should embrace and enhance it.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026
The old liberal institutions may be teetering, but that doesn’t mean that all that’s left is the law of the jungle.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for teeter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeter
Verb
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In Southern California, researchers are applying the approach to eelgrass, a type of seagrass, as traditional restoration methods falter.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
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The match was an Olympics of desperation as the Ducks broke their six-game freefall and San Jose faltered in a must-win position.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the Transit officers descended down to the 4/5/6 platform, one of Griffin’s victims came staggering up the stairs, seeking medial attention, Tisch said.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
11 Apr. 2026
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The Heat continued to stagger the minutes of its top two scorers, as Herro again started and Norman Powell again played off the bench.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s why Jacobs coach Jamie Murray didn’t hesitate to give him a start.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
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But don’t hesitate to shop — many colors and sizes are selling quickly.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Market wobbled, then rallied on signals that Tehran might still want to talk, with investors assessing the blockade as brinkmanship as expectations for a possible deal rise.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2026
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As enrollment has wobbled, tuition has increased.—
State House News Service,
Boston Herald,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And while navigating Washington isn’t getting any easier, world leaders are starting to lurch out of a wait-and-see mode and chart their own paths to prosperity.—
Shelly Banjo,
semafor.com,
13 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile the Caliente Range — those mountains just to the west — are lurching the opposite way.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Barron vacillated between playing deep in situational dime packages, fitting run gaps as a veritable off-ball linebacker in big-nickel packages, covering tight ends man-to-man, and even started a game at safety.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
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Their callouts vacillated from descriptions riddled with scientific jargon to exclamations of awe and joy.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This level of exercise includes shoulder stabilization through a downward dog series, the core engaged in boat pose, and legs that work hard enough to tremble during chair pose.—
William Jones,
Ascend Agency,
13 Apr. 2026
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The kind of person who trembles at watermarks is not the sort of person who’s putting marble in the dishwasher.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Models are tottering on the cobblestoned Bond Street with their heels getting stuck in the rivets.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
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Now, even that tiny effort is tottering.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teeter. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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