TEETERS Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

teeters

verb

present tense third-person singular of teeter

as in falters

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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as in staggers

to move forward while swaying from side to side the toddler teetered down the rink in her new ice skates

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in hesitates

to show uncertainty about the right course of action was teetering on the brink of making a decision about college

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of teeters There's an undeniable allure to the pale yellow shade, a saccharine hue that teeters the line on both mellow and bright. —

Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 28 May 2026 Everything teeters on the verge of going bad, and weekend plans often get in the way of cooking through them. —

Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026 Alongside organist Ståle Storløkken and drummer Ole Mofjell, the Hedvig Mollestad Weejuns (the third word a slang term for Norwegians) form a groove that teeters toward explosiveness without ever reaching it. —

Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026 For the first time ever my weight now teeters at the tippy, tippy top of that green zone. —

Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 16 Apr. 2026 But as the region teeters on the brink of a new and dangerous escalation, yet more negative consequences – like the evils that escaped Pandora’s box – could soon be unleashed. —

Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 23 Mar. 2026 The country’s already cratering economy now teeters on the verge of collapse, with vehicles idled by a lack of gas, hospitals forced to cancel surgeries and millions living without a steady supply of electricity and water. —

Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026 The entire river system now teeters on the brink, and this year’s snow drought may be what pushes it over the edge. —

Jonathan Thompson, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026 The district teeters on the edge of insolvency in the face of a mayor and his main backer, the Chicago Teachers Union, staunchly opposed to consolidating any schools even though a third of them are at less than half their student capacity. —

The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeters

Verb

If Smack falters, Havrisik — who kicked in three games last season — is an option.

— Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Once there’s some significant progress on the cross-country escape plan, the film falters a bit.

— Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 20 May 2026