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
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Recent Examples of teetering
Lydia Bell, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Dec. 2024
There are images of students teetering on stilts, of kids who look too small to be there playing with toy soldiers in a puddle of milk.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
The world is bracing for another energy crisis this winter, with natural gas markets teetering on the brink of volatility.
—Dan Eberhart, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
For over a month, the national average gas price has been teetering on the edge of dropping below $3 for the first time in three years, according to AAA.
—Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
This big band take of a song already teetering on irredeemable absurdity, wants to be lush and seductive.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
In 2015, Assad’s regime was teetering when Russia intervened to save the dictatorship.
—Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024
Hegseth's nomination has been teetering, though, amid a series of revelations about his personal life.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024
Just as Paris’ Notre-Dame cathedral rises from the ashes, France’s government is teetering on the brink of collapse.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
An economy teetering on collapse, US sanctions, the pandemic, shortages of medicine and food, a failing electrical grid, and the economic and political choices of the Cuban state.
—Lydia Bell, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Dec. 2024
There are images of students teetering on stilts, of kids who look too small to be there playing with toy soldiers in a puddle of milk.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
The world is bracing for another energy crisis this winter, with natural gas markets teetering on the brink of volatility.
—Dan Eberhart, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
For over a month, the national average gas price has been teetering on the edge of dropping below $3 for the first time in three years, according to AAA.
—Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
This big band take of a song already teetering on irredeemable absurdity, wants to be lush and seductive.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
In 2015, Assad’s regime was teetering when Russia intervened to save the dictatorship.
—Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024
Hegseth's nomination has been teetering, though, amid a series of revelations about his personal life.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024
Just as Paris’ Notre-Dame cathedral rises from the ashes, France’s government is teetering on the brink of collapse.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 4 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teetering
Adjective
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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
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Instead of rickety outdoor patios with plastic partitions, diners mostly ate in dining rooms.—
Nick Kindelsperger,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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Investors seem to be factoring in the best-case scenarios – a precarious position for a company with a limited recent operational track record and significant downside risks.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
-
After that Donlon knew his position was precarious, the lawsuit claims.—
Graham Rayman,
New York Daily News,
16 July 2025
Verb
-
Symptoms like a fast heart rate, or shortness of breath, shaking and chills, confusion or lethargy.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Your ruler Mercury will also station retrograde in Sagittarius—your seventh house of partnerships—on November 9, revealing all the ways your desires for independence may be shaking things up with up your closest allies and enemies.—
Roya Backlund,
StyleCaster,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Craft is the connective tissue of our history, weaving itself through each iteration and enabling new players to interpret it in novel ways.—
Bill Connolly,
Rolling Stone,
30 Dec. 2024
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But police must notice a primary violation, such as speeding or weaving across lanes, to cite motorists for violating the cellphone law.—
David A. Lieb,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The secondary villain is a doddering, power-hungry elderly man with an unruly mop of hair and a flock of advisors who constantly shower him with unearned praise.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
9 July 2025
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Does the diagnosis explain Biden’s occasionally doddering affect?—
Adam B. Kushner,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Teetering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teetering. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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