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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They were staggered, self-pitying, and seemingly traumatized by the denouement of the Joe Biden years.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026 -
Ware has since moved to a bench role and Spoelstra has staggered the minutes of Adebayo and Ware for 16 straight games.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And it’s directed by Karim Aïnouz, a Brazilian director who once made the heated, moving dramas Madame Satan and The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão but in recent years has faltered with works like the disastrous Firebrand and the atmospheric but tedious Motel Destino.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
15 Feb. 2026
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The experience is reminiscent of the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, when another heavy favorite for gold, Nathan Chen, faltered in the short program of the men’s event and finished 17th.—
Alice Park,
Time,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The big polar bear lurched forward, hitting top speed in two strides.—
Scott Haugen,
Outdoor Life,
4 Feb. 2026
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As Matt Woosnam reflected recently, the Premier League’s feel-good story has lurched into night terrors.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That border too wobbled well into the 1930s which ultimately left Mount Ararat inside Turkey.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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Gauthier entered Monday with a team-high 19 goals for an Anaheim squad that started strong but has wobbled in recent weeks.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Tomlyn asked, to which Chloe shook her head no.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Feb. 2026
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And after Britain scored four stones to take the score to 10-5 in end seven, Estonia’s Marie Kaldvee and Lill Harri also called an end to their match and shook hands.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Alba rocked one of her favorite bikinis—a playful boho paisley and animal print number in deep shades of red and orange.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
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Monday’s shooting came nearly two months after Rhode Island was rocked by a shooting at Brown University that left two students dead and wounded nine others, as well as a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor.—
Kimberlee Kruesi,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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No one spoke until Chuky shuddered his head and this time without laughing said, Shit, that’s crazy.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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East Denver sushi fans shuddered in late December when Okinawa Japanese Cuisine, a mainstay on Colfax Avenue since 2010, closed and boarded up its doors with brown paper.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Tottered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tottered. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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