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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tottering
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tottering
Verb
-
Cleaning can be an overwhelming task, so consider staggering your projects.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
-
That statistic would be staggering regardless of how long AI has been part of the economy, but this is just the start.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
After faltering in the semifinals of the 2024 WNBA playoffs, Wilson and the Aces capped off a dominant postseason run Friday by sweeping the Phoenix Mercury with a 97-86 win.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
11 Oct. 2025
-
History will probably remember this Ravens team for faltering because of injuries, namely to their starting quarterback.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The administration’s lurching one way and another with tariffs is another example.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
-
The title track opens the affair by lurching and creeping forward for ten minutes with odd, off-putting lyrics.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
An internal compression pad and multiple pockets help maximize packing space in this lightweight spinner, which is crafted from water-repellent nylon and boasts a proprietary stabilizer to prevent wobbling.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Think polarization, geopolitical instability, a lot of things that just have people wobbling right now.—
Fortune Editors,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
To watch this film is to be fully immersed in a learning experience, while teetering on the edge of your seat, with your heart in your mouth.—
Antonia Blyth,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The recent protein hubbub is teetering on overblown—not every snack food needs to be jacked up with the stuff.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That week’s host, Emily Blunt, did the trembly voice-over.—
Michael Schulman,
The New Yorker,
21 Dec. 2020
Verb
-
Chef Xavier Deshayes creates traditional dishes inspired by the region, weaving in produce from local growers and his own personal farm in the Virginia countryside.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The house was so distinctive that Armstrong adapted his script to fit it, weaving in elements like its bowling alley to shape both the narrative and the characters’ world.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Among seismic sports television changes during the past 50 years, the NBA’s new media rights deal, one that officially begins this week, isn’t quite as earth-shaking as CBS losing the NFL to Fox in 1994 or ABC losing Monday Night Football in 2005.—
Barry Jackson
Updated October 21,
Miami Herald,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The post shows video footage of the dog barking and shaking as floodwaters reached the dog's chest.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tottering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tottering. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share