teeter

verb

ˈtē-tər How to pronounce teeter (audio)
Definition of teeternext
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

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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

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.
Recent Examples of teeter Debris was strewn around his neighborhood and a neighbor’s shed teetered over a washed-away section of the property. — Jesse Bedayn, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026 And after a season that has teetered between disappointing and disastrous, maybe dreaming is exactly what this franchise needs. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026 Where to stay A fairytale castle dating from the 14th century, the Château de la Treyne hotel near Lacave appears to be teetering in an impossibly precarious spot atop a rugged cliff on the banks of the Dordogne. — James Rampton, TheWeek, 9 July 2026 Les Lions had underperformed in the group stage, teetering on the verge of elimination. — Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for teeter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeter
  1. falter
  2. stagger
  3. hesitate
  4. wobble
  5. lurch
  6. vacillate
  7. tremble
  8. totter
Verb
  • Without those conditions, efforts to end the fighting are apt to falter, and the strategic, economic, and human costs will continue to mount.
    — Matt Waldman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Apartment values appear to have faltered in Oakland, an economic erosion that has unleashed loan delinquencies and even foreclosures in a growing number of instances.
    — George Avalos, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of falter
Verb
  • Work has already begun on various projects, which are being staggered to avoid closing the museum completely.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The hole gently bends from right to left, with fairway bunkers staggered along both sides.
    — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of stagger
Verb
  • Treatment is more than a medication Any eligible person shouldn’t hesitate to start taking medication in addition to making lifestyle changes to reduce long-term risks, Al-Jarshawi said.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Other Western Conference contenders did not hesitate to upgrade their personnel.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of hesitate
Verb
  • Which is troubling for buildings like 432 Park Avenue, a skyscraper made using white concrete that features heavily in The History of Concrete, wobbling in the wind.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The House of Murphy is a juggernaut, but its foundation appears to be wobbling.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of wobble
Verb
  • Maresca, though, does not appear to have much taste for the Premier League’s lurch towards balls into the box.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The United States, which had been lurching toward entry in the Second World War, was suddenly and inescapably thrust into global conflict.
    — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of lurch
Verb
  • Ellison and his executives have vacillated from anger to acceptance.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Since then, his game behind the plate has vacillated between good and bad — an inconsistency aggravated by the presence of Luis Torrens (and his defensive excellence) as his backup.
    — Tim Britton, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of vacillate
Verb
  • Back in their dorm room after the beating, Valentine watched as Okeadu began to tremble uncontrollably.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026
  • Each time the leaves trembled, the sunlight filtering through them also wavered.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Definition of tremble
Verb
  • Like a lot of us who tottered into consciousness in the second half of the 20th century, Les Claypool grew up with cartoons from the family television beaming into his retinas.
    — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Outside, a gull tottered to the window and tapped its beak against the glass.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
Definition of totter

Browse Nearby Words

tees off
teeter
teetered
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Cite this Entry

“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teeter. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of teeter for Spanish Speakers

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