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
The recent protein hubbub is teetering on overblown—not every snack food needs to be jacked up with the stuff.
—
Erica Sloan, SELF, 8 Oct. 2025
Completely outplayed by the Brewers thus far in a National League Division Series, the Cubs are teetering on the brink of elimination after Monday night’s 7-3 loss at American Family Field.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
The film deconstructs physical identity, familial bonds and the performative nature of gender and desire – all while its central location teeters on collapse.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
And that’s a shame, because reassurance is what their audiences crave most when the world around them teeters.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for teeter
Erica Sloan, SELF, 8 Oct. 2025
Completely outplayed by the Brewers thus far in a National League Division Series, the Cubs are teetering on the brink of elimination after Monday night’s 7-3 loss at American Family Field.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
The film deconstructs physical identity, familial bonds and the performative nature of gender and desire – all while its central location teeters on collapse.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
And that’s a shame, because reassurance is what their audiences crave most when the world around them teeters.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for teeter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeter
Verb
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There has been optimism at times with this Cowboys team powered by the top offense in the NFL, but the defense continues to falter at the worst moments at crucial points in close games.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Oct. 2025
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In a topsy-turvy season where AFC faves Kansas City and Baltimore have faltered, and Jacksonville and Indianapolis have been major surprises, people still want to discount Tomlin and the Black and Gold.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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To get by offensively, Rajaković is going to have to stagger his prolific scorers pretty strongly.—
Eric Koreen,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
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To avoid the logistical logjams that had been predicted, the rollout is being staggered.—
Julia Buckley,
CNN Money,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Because life—even for us jaded adults—should be for the seizing, not for hesitating in the face of fear.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
9 Oct. 2025
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Upon receiving the handoff, Pacheco hesitated for a beat before faking left, juking right and breaking a tackle on the way to his longest rush of the season — a 16-yard gain on a drive that ended in a Kansas City touchdown.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In the opener of this series, Miller wobbled at first, then unplugged the raucous Rogers Centre on his way to a 3-1 victory.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Many Black mothers are primary breadwinners; when their income disappears, households wobble.—
Essence,
Essence,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hollywood lurched into a fresh wave of existential panic this week after Deadline, notating an otherwise dry industry panel on Saturday, September 27, seized on a stray remark.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
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On Halloween of 2022, just weeks into the new school year, senior Ehni Ler Htoo was making his way through the halls of Proctor High School in Utica, New York, when a fellow student lurched at him from behind, repeatedly plunging a 9-inch hunting knife into his back.—
Tonya Simpson,
ABC News,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Striking the right balance between freedom for adults and safety for users has been a difficult balancing act for OpenAI, which has vacillated between permissive and restrictive chat content controls over the past year.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
15 Oct. 2025
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Trump has just vacillated hardest in Kyiv’s favour.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Westerners call them quakers, for the way the leaves tremble in the wind, but these had no leaves on them now.—
Robert Merchant,
Outdoor Life,
1 Oct. 2025
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The lesson isn’t that investors tremble when Fed chairs talk about stocks.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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On the floor, waist-high piles of books tottered like miniature leaning towers of Pisa. My father has always been an avid learner and reader.—
The Christian Science Monitor,
Christian Science Monitor,
12 June 2025
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As Joe Biden tottered and fell (literally as well as metaphorically), more than a few pundits compared him to Lear, a man who was ruined by age, pride, and the flattery of sycophants.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teeter. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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