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
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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
The survey comes amid concerns that President Donald Trump’s tariffs will raise inflation and slow growth, with some prominent Wall Street executives and economists expecting the U.S. could teeter on recession over the next year.
—
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Apr. 2025
The playoff hopes of the defending NBA champions were already teetering when Jaylen Brown, of the Boston Celtics, lost the basketball with just over three minutes remaining in Game 4 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Semifinals at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 13 May 2025
If the avocados are soft and teetering on the edge of being too soft, keep them away from other produce.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 5 May 2025
Star, hilariously, has her rope slack over her shoulder and platform teetering all over the place.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for teeter
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Apr. 2025
The playoff hopes of the defending NBA champions were already teetering when Jaylen Brown, of the Boston Celtics, lost the basketball with just over three minutes remaining in Game 4 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Semifinals at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 13 May 2025
If the avocados are soft and teetering on the edge of being too soft, keep them away from other produce.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 5 May 2025
Star, hilariously, has her rope slack over her shoulder and platform teetering all over the place.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for teeter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeter
Verb
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If trade negotiations falter, these tariffs could take effect, potentially igniting a trade war and unsettling global markets.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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But after a flagrant foul by Clark against Reese on Saturday, all the prior talk from each athlete about a lack of a rivalry seemed to falter.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
28 May 2025
Verb
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More than 80 tornadoes had been confirmed as of Monday morning, with areas of Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois and Virginia − where two deaths were reported − staggered by some of the worst damage, AccuWeather said.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
20 May 2025
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Brown, his Superman strength sapped, mustered only five points in the second quarter, as Boston staggered to just 38 points as a team.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
17 May 2025
Verb
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Those that hesitate to modernize risk becoming less competitive in today’s fast-moving market.—
John Bruno,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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As Mars slips into your 12th house on June 17, your energy turns inward, so don’t hesitate to take a step back to rest, recharge and take a break from the social scene.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
1 June 2025
Verb
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This is because a planet's altitude in the sky is dependent in part on the inclination of the ecliptic relative to the horizon, which shifts throughout the year due to Earth's wobbling orbit.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
31 May 2025
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Stocks wobbled on Thursday but ended with a gain, as Wall Street’s embrace of a ruling against President Trump’s trade policy quickly gave way to doubts about its long-term impact.—
Jason Karaian,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
Verb
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Juventus are lurching from one coach to the next with no real vision for the future, while the once-mighty AC Milan will miss out on Europe altogether next season and the likes of Fiorentina, Torino and Parma – all having won major trophies in the past – are shadows of their former selves.—
Adam Digby,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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Wednesday’s primetime debate between the leaders of the five main political parties in the Great North has changed its start time to avoid clashing with a hockey game that could lurch the Montreal Canadiens into this year’s NHL playoffs.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Similarly, Kiki vacillates between a broad figure of oblivious privilege, not that far removed from Moore’s The Big Lebowski heiress, and a scrapper who feels just as insecure in this place as either sister.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
22 May 2025
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Triunfo Canyon’s vacillating clime offers warm, direct sun on these south-facing-slope vines by day and cool breezes trapped from the coast by night.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2025
Verb
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Nearby on the floor, O'Hara trembles and begs for her life.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
1 June 2025
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More recently, Trump announced 50% tariffs on goods from the European Union last Friday, sending investors trembling during the long holiday weekend, before walking back on the decision Sunday evening.—
Lee Ying Shan,Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
29 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 6 Jun. 2025.
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