as in shaking
marked by or given to small uncontrollable bodily movements
after the accident, she was only able to take a few tottering steps at a time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in staggering
to move forward while swaying from side to side
tottered around the house as she practiced walking in high heels
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in faltering
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 tottering
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
Among them a City boy wearing three Fit-Bit-type devices, two beautiful Middle Eastern sisters, an outrageously pompous elderly American (sorry; eavesdropping), and several Imelda Marcos lookalikes, tottering out of the treatment rooms with, somehow, their elaborate hairstyles still intact.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Models are tottering on the cobblestoned Bond Street with their heels getting stuck in the rivets.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Now, even that tiny effort is tottering.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
Now, even that tiny effort is tottering.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Neither of them understands the other’s dynamic with Daniel, and the split-episode format keeps our sympathies teeter-tottering between each woman.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
In an accompanying cartoon, Spark is caricatured as a sulking giant, tottering above the Tuscan countryside in a pair of high heels.
—Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
Among them a City boy wearing three Fit-Bit-type devices, two beautiful Middle Eastern sisters, an outrageously pompous elderly American (sorry; eavesdropping), and several Imelda Marcos lookalikes, tottering out of the treatment rooms with, somehow, their elaborate hairstyles still intact.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Models are tottering on the cobblestoned Bond Street with their heels getting stuck in the rivets.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Now, even that tiny effort is tottering.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
Now, even that tiny effort is tottering.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tottering
Adjective
-
That week’s host, Emily Blunt, did the trembly voice-over.—
Michael Schulman,
The New Yorker,
21 Dec. 2020
Verb
-
Cheng likes to build muni bond ladders, which means staggering the maturity dates of multiple bonds.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Cleaning can be an overwhelming task, so consider staggering your projects.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
China's economy has shown signs of faltering following a strong first-quarter.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
9 June 2026
-
Tangent The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board specifically calls out declining pandemic preparedness funding as a result of faltering political attention.—
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
After a shaky first half that featured an interception, Sam Darnold led four consecutive scoring drives in the final 30 minutes.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
8 Dec. 2025
-
But a shaky defense was UM’s downfall late, with the Hurricanes losing two of their final three regular-season games to miss out on both the ACC Championship Game and the CFP field.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
These are some of the heaviest grooves that Seefeel have created in ages, channeling lurching currents through intricate chains of dub delay.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
6 May 2026
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Another neighbor recalled an elevator lurching between floors.—
Elle McLogan,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
January 20 – February 18 The task gets easier when the instructions stop wobbling.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
10 June 2026
-
Art schools, like all schools, are wobbling under the illogic of the cost-benefit math.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
This big band take of a song already teetering on irredeemable absurdity, wants to be lush and seductive.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
4 Dec. 2025
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Taken together, the numbers paint a picture of an American consumer in deep distress, and an economy that may be teetering on the edge of another collapse.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Twenty minutes later, Balogun scored again, after shaking off a tackle and sending the ball just inside the goalpost.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
13 June 2026
-
In the post-game interview, asked how the victory felt to share with his father, Brunson paused shaking his head, too overwhelmed to speak.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tottering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tottering. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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