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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Terry staggered to the lobby and collapsed, according to court documents.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
2 Sep. 2025 -
Fed governors are appointed to staggered, 14-year terms to ensure that no single president can appoint too many.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But Cousins faltered midseason, and the team dropped six of its final eight games.—
Shane Shoemaker,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
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The insurance safety net that was supposed to support homeowners when tragedy struck also faltered.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In the face of this onslaught, the alcohol industry’s efforts to make drinking popular again have lurched into paranoia.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
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Already, though, this ‘new’ Manchester United has lurched into its latest calamitous chapter.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The two of us boarded, then gently wobbled side to side for balance.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
28 Aug. 2025
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But the wheels wobbled, with spurts of energy coming to dead stops as Wayne bounced from song to song.—
Heather Bushman,
IndyStar,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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After a while, the lady shook her head.—
Bryan Washington,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The earthquake shook at a depth of just 4 miles, with its epicenter about 6 miles south-southeast of Pinnacles.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Then, just hours later, gunfire rang out outside the church near Annunciation Catholic School – an attack that rocked an already reeling community.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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The Doncic trade rocked the franchise and sent fans into a frenzy, with many protesting Nico Harrison at Mavs games and other events.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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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The van shuddered, shifted gear.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 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 Sep. 2025.
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