teeter

verb

ˈtē-tər How to pronounce teeter (audio)
Definition of teeternext
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

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 And after a season that has teetered between disappointing and disastrous, maybe dreaming is exactly what this franchise needs. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026 Where to stay A fairytale castle dating from the 14th century, the Château de la Treyne hotel near Lacave appears to be teetering in an impossibly precarious spot atop a rugged cliff on the banks of the Dordogne. — James Rampton, TheWeek, 9 July 2026 Les Lions had underperformed in the group stage, teetering on the verge of elimination. — Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 6 July 2026 Among the biggest beneficiaries have been puffins, whose population has grown from just 13 birds in 2000 to 1,335 in 2026 after teetering on the brink of local extinction. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for teeter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeter
  1. falter
  2. stagger
  3. hesitate
  4. wobble
  5. lurch
  6. vacillate
  7. tremble
  8. totter
Verb
  • Extreme heat is redefining electricity as emergency infrastructure, pushing grids to their limits as demand soars and supply falters.
    — Monica Sanders, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Two decades’ worth of Chinese investments in research and foreign policy are coming into bloom, Osnos writes, at the same moment that America is faltering on the world stage.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of falter
Verb
  • The hole gently bends from right to left, with fairway bunkers staggered along both sides.
    — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The political crisis has meant that legislative elections, originally scheduled for July 27, have now been staggered into three separate days over a period of two weeks.
    — Hasan Ali, Christian Science Monitor, 26 July 2026
Definition of stagger
Verb
  • And for all their confidence, computers still hesitate in slightly unnerving ways.
    — Matthew MacConnell, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US wouldn’t hesitate to step into the market again.
    — Mia Glass, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of hesitate
Verb
  • The thought of repeating a mission like the Haute Route, even eight years later, made my knees wobble.
    — Winston Ross, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • And a new cast of Osage and Black supporting characters have come to wobble the thrive-in-isolation narrative.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Definition of wobble
Verb
  • Republicans see Democrats lurching to the left and embracing socialism as an opening to link their opponents to the far more radical communism.
    — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Markets have lurched up and down as oil prices shot higher because of the war with Iran.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of lurch
Verb
  • This is someone who vacillates between different ways of being.
    — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Then, as Bowman contemplated his future throughout the season, vacillating between retiring at the end of this season or next, the notion that Zilisch could replace him picked up steady traction through the summer.
    — Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of vacillate
Verb
  • Back in their dorm room after the beating, Valentine watched as Okeadu began to tremble uncontrollably.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026
  • Each time the leaves trembled, the sunlight filtering through them also wavered.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Definition of tremble
Verb
  • Like a lot of us who tottered into consciousness in the second half of the 20th century, Les Claypool grew up with cartoons from the family television beaming into his retinas.
    — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Outside, a gull tottered to the window and tapped its beak against the glass.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
Definition of totter

Browse Nearby Words

tees off
teeter
teetered
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Cite this Entry

“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teeter. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of teeter for Spanish Speakers

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