totter

verb

ˈtä-tər How to pronounce totter (audio)
Definition of totternext
1
as in to stagger
to move forward while swaying from side to side tottered around the house as she practiced walking in high heels

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to falter
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side the figurine tottered precariously for a moment before falling off the shelf

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 totter Now, even that tiny effort is tottering. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026 Women often totter along a delicate line between beauty and torture, femininity and the bondage of expectation. — Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 7 Dec. 2025 But The Gilded Age doesn’t do pure villains with its main cast, and Oscar totters between failson and tragic figure, the closeted heir of the Van Rhijn family dragged to hell and back after being defrauded of his mother’s fortune. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025 On the floor, waist-high piles of books tottered like miniature leaning towers of Pisa. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for totter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totter
  1. stagger
  2. falter
  3. lurch
  4. tremble
  5. shake
  6. wobble
Verb
  • This proposal establishes staggered 18-year terms of active service, allowing every president to appoint exactly two justices per term.
    — Dale V.C. Holness, Sun Sentinel, 9 July 2026
  • Clay Lockhart staggered back to his house, shoulders bent under the weight of grief and the work of digging.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 July 2026
Definition of stagger
Verb
  • The Sharks nearly made the playoffs last season, but, for a variety of reasons, faltered down the stretch and finished four points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the Western Conference’s second and final wild card spot.
    — Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 16 July 2026
  • As the Phillies surge and the Jays falter, Mattingly's influence is increasingly evident, sparking widespread discussion.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of falter
Verb
  • Adams’ shoulders lurched on the bench, while Richards fell to his knees, dug his afro into the grass, and closed his eyes in pain.
    — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 7 July 2026
  • Once, somewhere in southern Virginia, Dad performed the customary lurch off the highway in the direction of a promising barbecue counter.
    — Rachel Tepper Paley, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026
Definition of lurch
Verb
  • Back in their dorm room after the beating, Valentine watched as Okeadu began to tremble uncontrollably.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026
  • Each time the leaves trembled, the sunlight filtering through them also wavered.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Definition of tremble
Verb
  • The question is whether Thompson will shake free from the Mavericks, either through a buyout or trade.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
  • The wine and cocktail menu sports a few local makers too, including Gruet Winery’s sparkling wine and Hollow Spirits vodka, which is shaken into the restaurant’s take on a Vesper martini.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • Noe negotiated with Li Shan in a pidgin mix of French, English, and Cantonese as the workers fanned out on the wobbling platform, slipping on the slick bodies and shells of the catch.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • Healthcare is a classic defensive sector, so as the AI trade wobbled and investors booked profits in first-half winners, more money flowed in the direction of companies like J & J, Cardinal and our other Club healthcare name Eli Lilly .
    — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 14 July 2026
Definition of wobble

Browse Nearby Words

totted (up)
totter
tottered
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Cite this Entry

“Totter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totter. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of totter for Spanish Speakers

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