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
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Recent Examples of totter
Buruma has much to say about the shifting sands of loyalties as the Nazi and Japanese empires collapsed and the dominions of the old European imperialist powers tottered.
—
Max Hastings, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2013
The result would be that incumbents would lag, populists would surge, and democratic institutions would totter.
—Moisés Naím, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2025
The country’s economy is tottering and reliant on IMF bailouts, while the powerful military is entrenched in every aspect of life, according to its critics.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
If the bottom falls out of, say, the Chinese real-estate market—among the largest asset classes in the world—the entire global economy could totter.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for totter
Max Hastings, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2013
The result would be that incumbents would lag, populists would surge, and democratic institutions would totter.
—Moisés Naím, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2025
The country’s economy is tottering and reliant on IMF bailouts, while the powerful military is entrenched in every aspect of life, according to its critics.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
If the bottom falls out of, say, the Chinese real-estate market—among the largest asset classes in the world—the entire global economy could totter.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for totter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totter
Verb
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But Cnet raises something else: in previous years, Apple has staggered the release dates of its products, even though the unveiling has happened on the same day.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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However, there are several small kitchen appliances that use a lot of power and their use should be staggered whenever possible.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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High-multiple growth stocks often falter during economic slowdowns, as lower earnings growth leads to sharp contractions in valuation multiples.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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Trump has made ending the conflict a major priority of his administration, though negotiations have faltered.—
Emily Rose,
USA Today,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Later in the drive, FSD lurched right – for no apparent reason – and tried to go down a steep driveway grade toward a locked gate.—
Brooke Crothers,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
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From the outside, the company has appeared to be lurching from one crisis to the next.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
7 July 2025
Verb
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In the elevator of the Associated Press Building at Rockefeller Plaza, Sunny’s brows trembled.—
Kiran Desai,
New Yorker,
3 Aug. 2025
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But then the cheers from his fans would begin, and Hogan would tremble with energy.—
John DeVore,
Rolling Stone,
26 July 2025
Verb
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Europe's defense stocks wobbled at the start of the week, as investors pored over the details — still lacking in some areas — of the framework trade agreement struck by the U.S. and European Union on Sunday.—
Jenni Reid,
CNBC,
30 July 2025
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But near the end, the spin started to wobble President John F. Kennedy was always good at spinning a story.—
J. Randy Taraborrelli,
Air Mail,
19 July 2025
Verb
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Han shook off criticisms of the small ring by also noting that both Belly and Jeremiah are college students on a budget.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Rinse the greens in the empty side of the sink, then put the greens in the colander, rinse again, shake off, and rinse again.—
Amy Brightfield,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Yet the region's dynamics have also shifted substantially since the last Arab-Israeli war that rocked the region more than half a century ago.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Aug. 2025
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In a similar but slightly less exclusive vein is the Omega Speedmaster Paul Wesley rocked at Comic-Con.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
2 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Totter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totter. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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