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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 teeter
Advertisement On trade, the world is teetering on the edge of a precipice.
—
Charles A. Kupchan, Time, 14 June 2025
Donald Trump’s administration is teetering on the precipice of another constitutional crisis with the courts that has been prompted by a single rogue district judge.
—The Editors, National Review, 9 July 2025
There have been notable moments when the Yankees were rolling and the Mets were teetering on the fringes of mediocrity or outright experiencing a nightmare season.
—Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
At the same time, theaters (at least the ones that aren’t teetering on the verge of collapse) have outfitted their locations with better food and cocktails.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for teeter
Charles A. Kupchan, Time, 14 June 2025
Donald Trump’s administration is teetering on the precipice of another constitutional crisis with the courts that has been prompted by a single rogue district judge.
—The Editors, National Review, 9 July 2025
There have been notable moments when the Yankees were rolling and the Mets were teetering on the fringes of mediocrity or outright experiencing a nightmare season.
—Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
At the same time, theaters (at least the ones that aren’t teetering on the verge of collapse) have outfitted their locations with better food and cocktails.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for teeter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeter
Verb
-
Skills Even with the best tools, untrained teams falter.—
Saby Waraich,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
Most of the recent job growth was in health care, social assistance, leisure and hospitality, a red flag that overall job growth may falter in the coming months.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
According to the terms of the proposal, the release of the 10 living hostages and 15 bodies will be staggered over the 60-day period the temporary ceasefire is in effect.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 July 2025
-
The victim staggered up to the mezzanine before collapsing at a turnstile, according to an MTA worker.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
Many third-party managers hesitate to adopt centralized models, citing concerns about disruption or owner pushback.—
Tyler Christiansen,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
-
Social media users didn't hesitate to share their thoughts on the eBay sale.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
17 July 2025
Verb
-
In this case, the dollar is wobbling because markets lack faith in it, even though the U.S. economy is doing better than most others.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
-
His jaw wobbled unsteadily and a thin thread of spit drooled from the side of his mouth onto the counter.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
16 July 2025
Verb
-
But that’s not enough opposition to stop CPS from lurching substantially further toward insolvency if Harden and interim school Superintendent Macquline King choose that route.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
25 July 2025
-
Like Germany after the defeat of Hitler, Argentina lurched back and forth between judging its past crimes and trying to move beyond them.—
Julia M. Klein,
The Atlantic,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Already in recent months, U.S. policy has appeared to vacillate, its strategy and goals uncertain, while Chinese leader Xi Jinping has held fast, presented an image of strength, and kept his larger geopolitical goals in focus.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
8 May 2025
-
The president has vacillated in recent months between deporting all individuals who are in the country illegally and being sympathetic to farmers and hospitality executives who rely on such migrant workers for labor.—
Brett Samuels,
The Hill,
4 July 2025
Verb
-
Wires were seen submerged in pooling water across the floor and high winds made the floor and walls of the facility’s tents tremble, reporter video from CNN affiliate Spectrum News 13 showed.—
Devon M. Sayers,
CNN Money,
3 July 2025
-
The sound is electronic and rhythmically driven; the singing trembles with desire and confusion.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
As Joe Biden tottered and fell (literally as well as metaphorically), more than a few pundits compared him to Lear, a man who was ruined by age, pride, and the flattery of sycophants.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2025
-
Dina Tomczak, the school’s athletic director, tottered into her office having barely slept.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teeter. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share