1
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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2
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
3
as in hesitates
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of teeters
Skinbreaker is set on a primordial world where a tribal society teeters on the brink of collapse.
—
Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
As the economy teeters amid weak jobs growth and ongoing debates about government data reliability, all eyes are on the BLS and whether its monthly jobs report will remain a fixture in tracking the health of American employment.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
Another concerning possibility is that, when actions consistently prioritize special interests over the public good, incompetence can morph into something else— a line Lamont’s approach teeters on the brink of crossing.
—Frank Ricci, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2025
Rose Byrne stars as Linda, a therapist who is grappling with her daughter’s mysterious illness that prevents her from eating normally while her husband is out of town on business and their apartment teeters on the edge of literal collapse.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025
President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Wednesday for the first time in several weeks as the Middle East teeters on the brink of an all-out conflict.
—Mike Brest, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Oct. 2024
As a single market, China teeters between Roche Bobois‘ third and fifth top markets.
—Sofia Celeste, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
As the economy teeters amid weak jobs growth and ongoing debates about government data reliability, all eyes are on the BLS and whether its monthly jobs report will remain a fixture in tracking the health of American employment.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
Another concerning possibility is that, when actions consistently prioritize special interests over the public good, incompetence can morph into something else— a line Lamont’s approach teeters on the brink of crossing.
—Frank Ricci, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2025
Rose Byrne stars as Linda, a therapist who is grappling with her daughter’s mysterious illness that prevents her from eating normally while her husband is out of town on business and their apartment teeters on the edge of literal collapse.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025
President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Wednesday for the first time in several weeks as the Middle East teeters on the brink of an all-out conflict.
—Mike Brest, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Oct. 2024
As a single market, China teeters between Roche Bobois‘ third and fifth top markets.
—Sofia Celeste, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeters
Verb
-
Confidence falters as the moon meets Venus.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Where government funding falters, private industry must become a vital partner to bridge the gap.—
Denis Mandich,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Make the most of the shoulder seasons Almost all schools in England enjoy the long summer break at the same time (unlike in Scotland, which staggers its school vacation time for each region).—
Lottie Gross,
AFAR Media,
29 Aug. 2025
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The agency staggers payments across the month to manage the large volume of recipients.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But Andreia Alexander, an ER doctor in Indiana, told me that patients should not want a doctor who hesitates to save their life.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
22 Aug. 2025
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Lower will talk about work all day but hesitates to reveal much about Britt L’s outie.—
Julian Sancton,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Land awkwardly on the kerb and your rider wobbles convincingly.—
Griff Griffin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Golden State Valkyries player Temi Fagbenle rocks the runway in Seyah, a brand founded by teammate Tiffany Hayes.—
Brendan Le,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott (Kunis) to join forces with renowned detective Benoit Blanc to unravel a mystery that defies all logic.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Teeters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teeters. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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