as in tottering
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1
as in faltering
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
2
as in staggering
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 hesitating
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
was teetering on the brink of making a decision about college
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of teetering
Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 7 May 2026
But Church, undeterred, was drawn to the idea that those processes offered lessons in destruction and renewal which could be applied to a nation teetering on civil war.
—Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
In the fifth inning of Thursday’s first game, manager Joe Espada acted with the aggression required to resurrect a team teetering toward disaster.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Soldier Boy is teetering on anti-hero this season.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
The Royals were down a run and teetering on a home loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
—Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
And the Legislature is doing this at a time when the national economy is teetering and the stock market is volatile.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026
And every character seems dangerously teetering on a knife’s edge of something unredeemable, a hallmark of Ellroy’s hyperventilating plots.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
The gazebo at Southold Town Beach is teetering over crumbling asphalt.
—Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
Ransom said, throwing his hands up and teetering backward when the reporter asked him what the crash sounded like.
—Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 7 May 2026
But Church, undeterred, was drawn to the idea that those processes offered lessons in destruction and renewal which could be applied to a nation teetering on civil war.
—Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
In the fifth inning of Thursday’s first game, manager Joe Espada acted with the aggression required to resurrect a team teetering toward disaster.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Soldier Boy is teetering on anti-hero this season.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
The Royals were down a run and teetering on a home loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
—Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
And the Legislature is doing this at a time when the national economy is teetering and the stock market is volatile.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026
And every character seems dangerously teetering on a knife’s edge of something unredeemable, a hallmark of Ellroy’s hyperventilating plots.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
The gazebo at Southold Town Beach is teetering over crumbling asphalt.
—Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teetering
Adjective
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Neither of them understands the other’s dynamic with Daniel, and the split-episode format keeps our sympathies teeter-tottering between each woman.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, the company that made their name keeps faltering towards the point of no return.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
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Most of that was driven by faltering corporation tax receipts.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
1 May 2026
Verb
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The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hands and small heads.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hand and small heads.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Right now, Taylor said, both sides are hesitating.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
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Walgreens isn’t hesitating to close stores in parts of Chicago where theft is frequent and there are legitimate concerns about the safety of employees and customers.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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For years, many of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim minority have embarked on rickety wooden boats to try to reach neighbouring countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, in a bid to flee persecution in Myanmar or overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
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Your sunnies should be comfortable and durable, not rickety!—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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These are some of the heaviest grooves that Seefeel have created in ages, channeling lurching currents through intricate chains of dub delay.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
6 May 2026
-
The ladies haven’t had that problem, lurching out of the gate like the racehorses at Ascot.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Hollywood is in a precarious place.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
12 May 2026
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While white collar jobs, particularly those highly exposed to AI, seem more precarious by the day, AI’s infrastructure needs to have Huang and others pointing to the roles traditionally considered blue collar as perhaps the wise choice for new grads.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Upon your arrival, staffers on the ground floor usher you into elevators that whisk you up 55 stories, the doors opening to knee-wobbling views of the city and the Singapore Strait.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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Each increase in weight amplifies these demands, ensuring the robot operates beyond routine conditions while maintaining consistency without wobbling or resets.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Teetering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teetering. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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