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
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
No postseason switch will be flipped if the team’s collective battery is teetering on empty.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2026
Related Stories Details were not immediately forthcoming, but the deal was expected to include a major cash infusion into the guild’s teetering health fund, which has bled $200 million over the last four years.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 4 Apr. 2026
While some offer minimal coverage (occasionally teetering on no coverage), this one gave her an even, flawless complexion.
—Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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
No postseason switch will be flipped if the team’s collective battery is teetering on empty.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2026
Related Stories Details were not immediately forthcoming, but the deal was expected to include a major cash infusion into the guild’s teetering health fund, which has bled $200 million over the last four years.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 4 Apr. 2026
While some offer minimal coverage (occasionally teetering on no coverage), this one gave her an even, flawless complexion.
—Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 3 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
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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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Trump has criticized European countries for rejecting or hesitating to get involved in the war with Iran.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
17 Apr. 2026
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The Academy seems comfortable celebrating individual excellence within horror while hesitating to crown its films as definitive achievements.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
17 Mar. 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
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The ladies haven’t had that problem, lurching out of the gate like the racehorses at Ascot.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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This tiny trans-Neptunian object, meanwhile, has a remarkably precarious atmosphere perhaps composed of methane, nitrogen or carbon monoxide that is 5 to 10 million times thinner than Earth's, Reuters reported.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
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Constable and Turner remain central to British identity today, their paintings reproduced on coffee mugs and fridge magnets; Church’s position in American culture is more precarious.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 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 8 May. 2026.
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