1
as in to falter
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side
he nervously teetered at the edge of the pool before finally diving in
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2
as in to stagger
to move forward while swaying from side to side
the toddler teetered down the rink in her new ice skates
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to hesitate
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
was teetering on the brink of making a decision about college
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of teeter
His ability to galvanize a roster that was teetering on the brink of emotional detachment went a long way toward saving a season that was heading toward disappointment.
—
Sam Amick, New York Times, 22 May 2025
The second stage exploded in this huge ball of fire, and then the payload kind of teetered on top of the transporter erector.
—ArsTechnica, 5 May 2025
Abby's world was already teetering from her father's death, and now, after taking Joel's life, her own emotional compass is unraveling.
—Mark Weinstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
The carnival-like, sugar-high atmosphere of the White House exists, of course, against the backdrop of an Administration that is teetering on the edge of defying the Supreme Court.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for teeter
Sam Amick, New York Times, 22 May 2025
The second stage exploded in this huge ball of fire, and then the payload kind of teetered on top of the transporter erector.
—ArsTechnica, 5 May 2025
Abby's world was already teetering from her father's death, and now, after taking Joel's life, her own emotional compass is unraveling.
—Mark Weinstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
The carnival-like, sugar-high atmosphere of the White House exists, of course, against the backdrop of an Administration that is teetering on the edge of defying the Supreme Court.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for teeter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeter
Verb
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Ocean protection efforts are faltering, with policy talk far outpacing tangible results.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Doctoring provides powerful tools for getting under the hood, but writing offers ones that dig into the interstitial spaces where our more utilitarian tools falter.—
Danielle Ofri,
New Yorker,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Some implementation of the law was staggered to give industries, including nail technicians, time to adapt.—
Suhauna Hussain,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
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The question staggers the mind, and can be answered by Montgomery and Fairfax counties.—
John Tamny,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) hesitated to affirm his support for Schumer’s continued leadership.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
13 June 2025
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As good as the night was against an A’s team that has now lost 22 of 26 games, Soriano hesitated to call it his best.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
11 June 2025
Verb
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Morale, performance, customer satisfaction—something will wobble.—
Aleesha Webb,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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In ordinary times, the scenario of muted inflation and a job market that's starting to wobble would make cutting interest rates — a move that tends to boost the economy, sending prices and job openings higher — an easy decision for any central bank.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Growing panicky, the animal lurched wildly, lost its footing altogether, and fell back toward me and my horse.—
Jim Carmichel,
Outdoor Life,
5 June 2025
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Thereafter, plans for the cemetery lurched back to the Great Park but never successfully held on to momentum.—
Jonathan Horwitz,
Oc Register,
28 May 2025
Verb
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As the hours ticked by on Friday, reactions in Israel vacillated between extremes.—
Ruth Margalit,
New Yorker,
13 June 2025
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Her Astrid is less a hewn warrior, more an uncertain teen, who vacillates between confidence and nervous energy.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
10 June 2025
Verb
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Your muscles get tense, your hands are sweaty, your voice starts trembling.—
Aliza Knox,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
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The nightmares returned after the shooting As Canty sat trembling for three hours in her professor’s podcasting studio at FSU, she was surrounded by friends, classmates and strangers who had been smashed together by the chaotic terror.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
23 May 2025
Verb
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Dina Tomczak, the school’s athletic director, tottered into her office having barely slept.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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The nation is tottering on the edge of dictatorship.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teeter. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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