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
Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
And yet Payton’s sheer confidence — teetering into arrogance — formed an irremovable piece of his identity as a Super Bowl-winning offensive mind in New Orleans.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2026
The school has been teetering for years.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
In a movie about bank accounts vanishing overnight and careers teetering on the brink, the actor’s very real eviction saga lends the satire an edge that even National Lampoon could not have scripted.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
The Hawks have injuries and key players missing, but this was teetering before Young got back into the mix, and Atlanta has a middling offense with a bad defense.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
That event led to a 22% decline in the population of Rice’s whales, a devastating impact on a species teetering on the edge of survival.
—Christian Wagley, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026
Dashcam and bystander video captured the SUV spinning out of control and sliding off the road, before coming to rest against a tree, teetering hundreds of feet above the slope below.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
All of this is taking place as the box office is in a rut, cable is in free fall and the overall economy is teetering.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 31 Dec. 2025
Verb
Ramírez arrived in Amman at the moment when the fedayeen groups were at the height of their power and belligerence, and the kingdom was teetering on the brink of all-out conflict.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
And yet Payton’s sheer confidence — teetering into arrogance — formed an irremovable piece of his identity as a Super Bowl-winning offensive mind in New Orleans.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2026
The school has been teetering for years.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
In a movie about bank accounts vanishing overnight and careers teetering on the brink, the actor’s very real eviction saga lends the satire an edge that even National Lampoon could not have scripted.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
The Hawks have injuries and key players missing, but this was teetering before Young got back into the mix, and Atlanta has a middling offense with a bad defense.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
That event led to a 22% decline in the population of Rice’s whales, a devastating impact on a species teetering on the edge of survival.
—Christian Wagley, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026
Dashcam and bystander video captured the SUV spinning out of control and sliding off the road, before coming to rest against a tree, teetering hundreds of feet above the slope below.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
All of this is taking place as the box office is in a rut, cable is in free fall and the overall economy is teetering.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 31 Dec. 2025
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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Darnold has also found some big-game redemption after faltering for the Minnesota Vikings late in the season last year.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
18 Jan. 2026
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And his retribution campaign—faltering to this point, to be sure—targeted the chairman of the Federal Reserve, who is now the subject of a Justice Department investigation.—
Jonathan Lemire,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Cheng likes to build muni bond ladders, which means staggering the maturity dates of multiple bonds.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
29 Oct. 2025
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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
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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
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Although police still can use less-lethal weapons to contain unruly demonstrators, the city claimed the rules put officers at risk of hesitating in chaotic situations.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The result was a gleaming skyscraper held up by some rickety wooden boards, duct tape, and magic.—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
14 Nov. 2025
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Everything looks so rickety — this stadium wasn’t built for pandemonium like this.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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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
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The midterm blue wave backlash is gathering, with the generic ballot lurching in the Democrats' favor and Trump’s popularity cratering.—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The central bank, however, now finds itself in a precarious bind.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
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However, relying on regulatory relief is precarious.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Not just to provide news publishers the equivalent of a fair and honest wage, but also to bolster our wobbling democracy by fostering an engaged and knowledgeable electorate.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Not just to provide news publishers the equivalent of a fair and honest wage, but also to bolster our wobbling democracy by fostering an engaged and knowledgeable electorate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Teetering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teetering. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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