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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At one point, officials even attempted to force TikTok’s parent, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations under threat of a ban—underscoring how precarious a creator’s dependence on one app can be.—
Vivian Toh,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
-
In some respects, the outset of this summer feels less precarious for the organization than the last one did.—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
19 June 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
-
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
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A week before the debate, NBC News fretted about whether the fact-checkers would be able to stay on top of all the viral videos purporting to show a doddering Biden.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
30 May 2025
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Even that sounds dismissive like Flynn is some doddering old man.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Teetering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teetering. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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