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
Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
The northern hairy-nosed wombat was teetering on the very edge of extinction.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Still, after nearly a century of existence, the American public-health apparatus, which has driven some of the most remarkable advances in global longevity and quality of life in human history, is teetering.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
High above them, teetering on the starting bench, is the woman who brought them here.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
But this town is teetering between the wreckage and the recovery.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Some 127 years after its opening, the grande dame of St Moritz continues to draw glamorous guests to its cavernous halls, forever teetering gracefully between Alpine rustic and positively regal.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Feb. 2026
While some offer minimal coverage (occasionally teetering on no coverage), this one gave her an even, flawless complexion.
—Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
In 1984, Fox lost $36 million and was teetering on bankruptcy.
—Gabriel Sherman, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
Her brother is teetering on becoming a failson.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
The northern hairy-nosed wombat was teetering on the very edge of extinction.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Still, after nearly a century of existence, the American public-health apparatus, which has driven some of the most remarkable advances in global longevity and quality of life in human history, is teetering.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
High above them, teetering on the starting bench, is the woman who brought them here.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
But this town is teetering between the wreckage and the recovery.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Some 127 years after its opening, the grande dame of St Moritz continues to draw glamorous guests to its cavernous halls, forever teetering gracefully between Alpine rustic and positively regal.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Feb. 2026
While some offer minimal coverage (occasionally teetering on no coverage), this one gave her an even, flawless complexion.
—Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
In 1984, Fox lost $36 million and was teetering on bankruptcy.
—Gabriel Sherman, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teetering
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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Unless regulators crack down on these deepfakes, the videos threaten to steer even more patients toward wasteful, potentially dangerous purchases — while further undermining the public’s already faltering trust in medical institutions.—
John Whyte,
STAT,
17 Feb. 2026
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The program also pledges to fulfill conditions for adopting the euro currency by 2030, and to invest in Hungary's faltering state health care and public transportation sectors.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Cheng likes to build muni bond ladders, which means staggering the maturity dates of multiple bonds.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
29 Oct. 2025
-
To get through the season and the playoffs, staggering the minutes of Green and Horford is logical, even with Quintin Post picking up some center minutes.—
Jannelle Moore,
Mercury News,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
However, if large enterprises are hesitating to commit and implement, that’s a broader industry headwind impacting everyone, not just SAP.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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The appeals court, however, said staying the injunction serves the public interest by preventing federal agents from hesitating while carrying out lawful duties.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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They will now be soldered together to form a financially rickety public hospital system.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The result was a gleaming skyscraper held up by some rickety wooden boards, duct tape, and magic.—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Sure enough, a big rock upended from beneath my toe and sent me lurching headlong to the water.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Natanya complicates her old-school character sketch with cerebral shifts in perspective, affecting each of the voices that accompany a young woman’s drive for success and independence (demanding friends and parents, sexist expectations, her own willpower) in a lurching cascade of melodies.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Here, travelers of all backgrounds—some privileged, some precarious—document the interplay between spatial movement and personal growth, collectively redrawing the boundaries of the genre.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The dating landscape is precarious at best.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
They are carefully balanced so that the rotor spins smoothly without wobbling.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
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His posture keeps him from wobbling to either side and falling out of the jump.—
Joy Sung,
Washington Post,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Teetering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teetering. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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