TEETER Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

teeter

verb

ˈtē-tər

Definition of teeter

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

Relevance

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

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 Scott’s face, in this shot, is a whole novel, disintegrating into tears before being shored up again, eventually rearranged into something resembling a welcoming smile that teeters on the edge of collapse. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026 This is the man who wants to ensure the survival of human civilization while our own planet teeters toward the abyss? — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 All of these statements have left Carlson teetering at the edge of respectability within the Republican Party. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026 While Berlin’s Tuttle teetered on the verge of being fired by the German government, which funds 40% of the event, Barbera came out of last year’s political polemics on the Lido unscathed. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for teeter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeter

Verb

This week a deal for Volta Infrastructure faltered as investors feeling full-up on data center debt demanded higher yields.

— Ellen DiMauro, semafor.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Even where efforts to build democratic institutions have faltered, as after the Arab Spring, liberal ideas have nonetheless persisted and expanded.

— Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of falter

Verb

While its lawyers have not hesitated to send cease-and-desist letters to AI companies, Disney is among the big media companies looking for ways to get in the AI game and profit from its boom.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
Please have a plan in place should flash flooding develop and do not hesitate to act.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitate

Verb

Between increasing costs and construction challenges from the BRT project, some small, longtime businesses have wobbled and closed.

— John Wenzel, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
In addition to rewards for moving at the right speed and in the right direction and penalties for things like wobbling or jerky movement, the team introduced a novel way to keep the hand in a crawling stance during the simulated training.

— Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of wobble

Verb

The strength came as oil prices continued to vacillate because of uncertainty about when the war with Iran will allow the global energy industry to return to normal.

— Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
OpenAI has vacillated between wanting to be the big consumer company and knowing that the revenue is in enterprise.

— Nilay Patel, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of vacillate

Verb

But now, the occupation seems to tremble before Palestinian children holding paper and string.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Those afflicted would tremble and jerk around, lose the ability to stand or swallow, and, after many months of slow suffering, die.

— David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 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

Style

“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teeter. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of teeter

verb

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