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

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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

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 Scott’s face, in this shot, is a whole novel, disintegrating into tears before being shored up again, eventually rearranged into something resembling a welcoming smile that teeters on the edge of collapse. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026 This is the man who wants to ensure the survival of human civilization while our own planet teeters toward the abyss? — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 All of these statements have left Carlson teetering at the edge of respectability within the Republican Party. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026 While Berlin’s Tuttle teetered on the verge of being fired by the German government, which funds 40% of the event, Barbera came out of last year’s political polemics on the Lido unscathed. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 28 Aug. 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
  • Current Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has faced intense scrutiny as the state’s insurance market has faltered and has pushed through a series of changes in recent years to try and stabilize it.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Lucy’s constant sense of invention sometimes falters under the album’s new, megawatt spotlight, lacking the enticing mystery that gives their best music its power.
    — H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of falter
Verb
  • The talent is still there, but Herbert has staggered to a dismal start.
    — Sam Jane, Denver Post, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The new board terms will be staggered, with members serving either two- or four-year terms.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of stagger
Verb
  • Much of the film plays out in close-up as Alex watches, plays, thinks, hesitates.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • But the clearest lesson from Iowa is that states that engage early and set smart terms come out ahead, while those that hesitate watch the investment head elsewhere.
    — Jeff Danielson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of hesitate
Verb
  • Keep your bat on your shoulder and be ready to swing if Apple shares wobble ahead of this month’s foldable iPhone release, Jim Cramer said Thursday.
    — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2026
  • If the fan still wobbles, a ceiling-fan balancing kit may help.
    — Tricia Goss, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of wobble
Verb
  • Sometimes the wagon will lurch forward on that initial pull before settling into your walking rhythm.
    — Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The alternative is a region that lurches from crisis to crisis, and from one extreme to another.
    — DAN RESTREPO, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of lurch
Verb
  • The strength came as oil prices continued to vacillate because of uncertainty about when the war with Iran will allow the global energy industry to return to normal.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • OpenAI has vacillated between wanting to be the big consumer company and knowing that the revenue is in enterprise.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of vacillate
Verb
  • But now, the occupation seems to tremble before Palestinian children holding paper and string.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Those afflicted would tremble and jerk around, lose the ability to stand or swallow, and, after many months of slow suffering, die.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 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 14 Oct. 2026.

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