1
as in staggered
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 faltered
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tottered
Verb
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Seats are elected from each of the city’s wards and serve staggered, four-year terms.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
25 Oct. 2025 -
The 49ers, under Kyle Shanahan’s watch since 2017, traditionally have staggered through Oktoberfest, posting a 16-22 record and losing at least two October games every season except during the 2019 team’s 8-0 start.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ultimately, Drake’s suit faltered.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
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After Ohtani faltered, the game was the Blue Jays’ to lose, but the Dodgers kept pecking away.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Instead of taking a low profile and playing down any claims to Taiwan’s independent status like his more cautious DPP predecessor Tsai Ying-wen, Lai has lurched toward formal independence with a succession of speeches making the case for Taiwanese nationhood.—
Lyle Goldstein,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
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Hollywood lurched into a fresh wave of existential panic this week after Deadline, notating an otherwise dry industry panel on Saturday, September 27, seized on a stray remark.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Many have been subject to rising costs as supply chains have wobbled during the Russian war in the Ukraine.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
30 Oct. 2025
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The peso had wobbled in recent days after a regional election spurred fears Milei would underperform in the midterm vote, prompting a $20 billion bailout promise from the US, which sees him as an ally.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The earthquake shook at a depth of just 3 miles, with its epicenter roughly 4 miles northwest of Pinnacles.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
29 Oct. 2025
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The Breakers shook off early losses to Mater Dei and San Clemente to set the school record for most wins in a regular season.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The shooting rocked the community and drew national attention to the question of how such a young child could commit such an act of violence.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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The New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts rocked the NFL world on Tuesday when the teams worked out a massive trade deal just hours before the NFL's trade deadline.—
Anne Erickson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Earth shuddered with yet another wave of extinctions in this initial chill.—
Peter Brannen,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
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For much of last season, Atletico appeared set to seriously compete on all fronts, but their season shuddered to a stop in March with a series of disappointing defeats by Barcelona and Madrid across La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
15 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Tottered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tottered. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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