Synonym Chooser

How does the verb falter differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of falter are hesitate, vacillate, and waver. While all these words mean "to show irresolution or uncertainty," falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear.

never once faltered during her testimony

When would hesitate be a good substitute for falter?

The words hesitate and falter can be used in similar contexts, but hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing.

hesitated before answering the question

When is vacillate a more appropriate choice than falter?

The synonyms vacillate and falter are sometimes interchangeable, but vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision.

vacillated until events were out of control

In what contexts can waver take the place of falter?

In some situations, the words waver and falter are roughly equivalent. However, waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat.

wavered in his support of the rebels

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 falter But the 28-year-old Skubal, now in his sixth season, has faltered to open the campaign, taking the loss in both of his starts while surrendering seven runs on 12 hits in 10 2/3 innings, including three home runs. Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025 Consumer spending powers more than two-thirds of the nation’s economic activity; so if that engine falters, the economic consequences can start spiraling. Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2025 Even if SpaceX somehow falters, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, United Launch Alliance and other launch providers all appear on track to offer broadly similar services in coming years, suggesting that this bold new era of spaceflight is here to stay. Lee Billings, Scientific American, 31 Mar. 2025 Falling sales indicate that the company's financial health is fundamentally faltering as competitors are surging, particularly rival BYD. Alan Ohnsman, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for falter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falter
Verb
  • Yet, the didn't appear to be the case for Colton, who hesitated to answer before last week's episode concluded.
    Dory Jackson, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Touching on directing and managing the top teams at Nudie Jeans, Levin doesn’t hesitate.
    Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Needless to say, those of us who remember 1987 are trembling, and were expecting a frightful jobs report.
    Eli Amdur, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Historians would be called in to provide context, and every social-media app would be trembling with outrage.
    Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Without Lillard, any remaining championship hopes—already wobbling like a Jenga tower missing its foundation—have officially crumbled.
    Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
  • The scene that draws the biggest laughs from the audience features a bit of old school slapstick comedy as Cher attempts to make a clumsy romantic pass at her classmate Christian in her bedroom, falling off the bed and wobbling across the stage in heels that are far too high.
    Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The back-and-forth over tariffs shook confidence in U.S. leadership, exposed fractures within Trump’s team and rattled companies that rely on global sources for products and international customers for sales.
    Time, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The 31 percent tariff imposed on Switzerland by U.S. President Donald Trump’s new policy has shaken the luxury watch industry.
    Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But for companies that are in the crosshairs of Trump’s wavering policy decisions, all the uncertainty remains.
    Ari Levy, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
  • But the 5-foot-9 senior never wavered in her confidence in anyone on her roster.
    Ben Pickman, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Most residents in the beachfront luxury condominium at Surfside were asleep in their beds when their 12-story residential building shuddered and then collapsed, pinning sleeping residents between the heavy concrete slabs of each floor.
    Bruce Strom, Sun Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Image Wall Street shuddered in response, with early market reaction pointing to a further slide in the stock market and a weakening dollar.
    Natasha Frost, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Falter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falter. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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