totters

verb

present tense third-person singular of totter
1
as in staggers
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 falters
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 totters But The Gilded Age doesn’t do pure villains with its main cast, and Oscar totters between failson and tragic figure, the closeted heir of the Van Rhijn family dragged to hell and back after being defrauded of his mother’s fortune. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totters
  1. staggers
  2. falters
  3. lurches
  4. wobbles
  5. rocks
  6. shakes
Verb
  • Steely and deliberate songwriting that casually staggers down the line between rhythm and melody, laced with loose yet conscious jams.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2026
  • Like many Florida school districts, OCPS staggers start times to most efficiently use its school buses and drivers.
    — Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
Definition of staggers
Verb
  • The system implemented by the National Weather Service falters mathematically when both the temperature and humidity are particularly high.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
  • And once performance falters, customers are likely to lose faith in your brand.
    — Brian Coyne, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of falters
Verb
  • The film unhurriedly lurches from one markedly similar fight scene to the next, with only Skeletor’s occasional injections of ripe innuendo to liven them up a bit.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 2 June 2026
  • By the end, Noonan’s film stops feeling like a first date and starts to resemble the makings of a crime scene as his mood lurches toward something dangerous.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 1 May 2026
Definition of lurches
Verb
  • Put plainly, the body that watches over the global financial system, chaired by the governor of the Bank of England, is saying the prices these funds report rest partly on judgment, and that the judgment wobbles precisely when it is tested.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
  • Sketch a plan for practice, then show up even if motivation wobbles.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 6 Apr. 2026
Definition of wobbles
Verb
  • Mindy Kaling rocks a butter yellow outfit outside Good Morning America on July 9 in New York City.
    — People Staff, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026
  • Here, Jordyn Woods rocks her goddess braids in a ponytail with the top two front braids left loose for a soft, tendril-y look.
    — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 9 July 2026
Definition of rocks
Verb
  • That is where high-protein snacks like cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, jerky, nuts and shakes come in.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026
  • Rescuers were able to insert tubes to provide water, hydration fluids, protein shakes and medicine to Gil.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of shakes

Browse Nearby Words

tottering
totters
tottery
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Cite this Entry

“Totters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totters. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on totters

Nglish: Translation of totters for Spanish Speakers

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