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
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in tottering
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of teetering
Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
The three-month average of the prime-age employment-to-population ratio has been teetering around the current level, but the labor market has remained resilient.
—Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Despite the dramatic implications of the film’s title, Erupcja has a casual, slice-of-life vibe to it that prevents Bethany and Rob’s woes from teetering into melodrama.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
In a series that is admirably earnest, Last Rites easily takes the cake as the most wholesome chapter of the bunch, its insistence on God and faith teetering on religious propaganda.
—Gregory Nussen, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
In addition to political persecution, returning Venezuelans would reenter a country teetering on collapse—maligned by hyperinflation, soaring unemployment, rampant crime, frequent power outages, water shortages and chronic scarcities of food and medicine.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
The policy helped cut Louisiana's uninsured rate in half and shored up rural hospitals that had been teetering on closure.
—Drew Hawkins, NPR, 28 Aug. 2025
The economy was teetering on the edge when the crisis became full-blown in October 1907.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 26 Aug. 2025
America’s closest ally was teetering on the precipice of collapse to a maniacal leader, which would give the Nazis control of Europe.
—Doug Most
august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Sweet Martha’s cookies are baked to order, then served warm in precariously tall stacks, teetering out of a paper cup, or, better yet, the stand’s signature plastic bucket, which gets loaded with about four dozen cookies despite fitting only three dozen.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
The three-month average of the prime-age employment-to-population ratio has been teetering around the current level, but the labor market has remained resilient.
—Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Despite the dramatic implications of the film’s title, Erupcja has a casual, slice-of-life vibe to it that prevents Bethany and Rob’s woes from teetering into melodrama.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
In a series that is admirably earnest, Last Rites easily takes the cake as the most wholesome chapter of the bunch, its insistence on God and faith teetering on religious propaganda.
—Gregory Nussen, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
In addition to political persecution, returning Venezuelans would reenter a country teetering on collapse—maligned by hyperinflation, soaring unemployment, rampant crime, frequent power outages, water shortages and chronic scarcities of food and medicine.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
The policy helped cut Louisiana's uninsured rate in half and shored up rural hospitals that had been teetering on closure.
—Drew Hawkins, NPR, 28 Aug. 2025
The economy was teetering on the edge when the crisis became full-blown in October 1907.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 26 Aug. 2025
America’s closest ally was teetering on the precipice of collapse to a maniacal leader, which would give the Nazis control of Europe.
—Doug Most
august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teetering
Verb
-
China's housing downturn has stretched into a fourth year, with prices, sales, investment and construction activity faltering across the board.—
Anniek Bao,Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Investors’ long-running enthusiasm for artificial intelligence showed signs of faltering late Tuesday and early Wednesday morning as tech stocks tumbled.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
As Devers launched his 30th home run of the season into the right field seats at Coors Field, Colorado starting pitcher Kyle Freeland took exception to the slugger slowly staggering out of the batter's box, watching the flight of the ball.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Dish was losing money, staggering under $21 billion in debt and hemorrhaging pay TV subscribers.—
Monica Hunter-Hart,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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As adults, this pattern can look like hesitating to ask for help, avoiding vulnerability or keeping emotional struggles private, even from those closest to you.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Concerns about the economy and tariffs do have some companies hesitating to make long-term decisions, but even with that concern, more are taking on long-term leases than were a year ago, CBRE found.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
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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Jurors saw some wobbling footage that appeared to be taken from inside a bush, though prosecutors did not explicitly make clear if the footage was taken from Routh's perch.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
12 Sep. 2025
-
With job growth tanking and the economy wobbling, pressure is on for the Federal Reserve to start lowering interest rates, with markets now expecting a cut at each of the three remaining meetings this year.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But while the new movie dawdles on its way to Toxie’s origins, then rushes toward a finale with a lurching rhythm that verges on calculated ineptitude, its spirit never feels inauthentic.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
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The result, nearly eight months into his second term, is an economy that appears to be lurching into a new era of state control.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Everything looks so rickety — this stadium wasn’t built for pandemonium like this.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
15 Aug. 2025
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Griff's was a cozy space inside with a small, rickety wooden patio in the front and a larger one in the back.—
Brianna Griff,
Chron,
13 Jan. 2023
Verb
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The story unfolds in Agra during the 1990s, weaving together romantic elements with comedic beats and supernatural scares.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Naming the bags is my way of weaving culture directly into design.—
Ugonnaora Owoh,
Essence,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Teetering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teetering. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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