falter

1 of 2

verb

fal·​ter ˈfȯl-tər 

faltered; faltering ˈfȯl-t(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

1

a

: to walk unsteadily : stumble

the … stranger falters out of the thicket and drops to his knees

—Dudley Fitts

b

: to give way : totter

could feel my legs faltering

c

: to move waveringly or hesitatingly

forced to bail out of faltering airplanes over the Alps

—Nat'l Geographic

2

: to speak brokenly or weakly : stammer

her voice faltered

3

a

: to hesitate in purpose or action : waver

he never faltered in his determination

b

: to lose drive or effectiveness

the business was faltering

transitive verb

: to utter hesitatingly or brokenly

faltered an excuse

falterer

ˈfȯl-tər-ər 

noun

falteringly

ˈfȯl-t(ə-)riŋ-lē 

adverb

falter

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of faltering

Synonyms

Verb

• balance
• dither
• halt
• hang back
• hesitate
• scruple
• shilly-shally
• stagger
• teeter
• vacillate
• waver
• wobble
• wabble

Choose the Right Synonym for falter

hesitate, waver, vacillate, falter mean to show irresolution or uncertainty.

hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing.

hesitated before answering the question

waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat.

wavered in his support of the rebels

vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision.

vacillated until events were out of control

falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear.

never once faltered during her testimony

Examples of falter in a Sentence

Verb

The business was faltering due to poor management.

Their initial optimism has faltered.

signs that the economy is faltering

Her steps began to falter.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Were Russia to falter in the war and start seeking an exit, countries outside Europe could be vital to the ensuing diplomacy. —Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024

After the recession took hold and the business faltered, Valley bought the company back to reposition it as a direct-to-consumer brand and launched an e-commerce business Alvin Valley Direct. —Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 31 Oct. 2024

Noun

Read more Auto giants are getting nervous about the prospect of mega fines as EV demand falters Car giants are being forced to confront some hard truths over the EV transition Stellantis is struggling. —Sam Meredith, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2024

If one type of flower falters, others thrive, ensuring that the garden is never barren. —Zennon Kapron, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1834, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

falter

verb

fal·​ter

ˈfȯl-tər

faltered; faltering

ˈfȯl-t(ə-)riŋ

1

: to move unsteadily : waver

2

: to stumble or hesitate in speech : stammer entry 1

her voice faltered

3

: to hesitate in purpose or action

courage that never falters

falter noun

falterer

-tər-ər

noun

falteringly

-t(ə-)riŋ-lē

adverb