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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of teeter
His and-1 two minutes later put them back on top as the score teetered.
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Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2024
The three sides teetering outside the bottom three — Leicester City, Everton and Ipswich Town — are also among the clubs that have used homegrown players the least.
—Elias Burke, The Athletic, 20 Nov. 2024
Like so many other enterprises, Ingersoll was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, but Mickey saved the day—upon its release, Macy’s sold 11,000 of these cartoon watches.
—Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2024
Boise State moves up to No. 10 after escaping a bad Wyoming team, but the Broncos are teetering with some recent close calls.
—Chris Vannini, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for teeter 
Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2024
The three sides teetering outside the bottom three — Leicester City, Everton and Ipswich Town — are also among the clubs that have used homegrown players the least.
—Elias Burke, The Athletic, 20 Nov. 2024
Like so many other enterprises, Ingersoll was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, but Mickey saved the day—upon its release, Macy’s sold 11,000 of these cartoon watches.
—Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2024
Boise State moves up to No. 10 after escaping a bad Wyoming team, but the Broncos are teetering with some recent close calls.
—Chris Vannini, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for teeter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeter
Verb
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The rally comes as markets in Asia and Europe faltered on lackluster economic data from China and broader uncertainty about the global economic outlook.Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
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As the defense has faltered against better opponents, the offense has regressed, as well.Daniel Popper, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Parachute's Eco Comfort mattress is discounted from its usual $2,400 to $1,680 (for the queen-size), with other bed size savings staggered accordingly.Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Dec. 2024
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That said, while individual stocks staggered, the broader market advanced.Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Without hesitating, Weil jumped into the water to save his dogs, the video shows.Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
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And, in many cases, your competitors may be the ones hesitating, creating significant opportunities for you.Ken Pomella, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The entire cycle of wobbling north to south and north again takes 18.6 years.Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
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To keep your cutting board from wobbling, place a damp paper or kitchen towel under the board to keep it in from shifting.Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The crew called the lead flight attendant onboard, but within a few seconds, the airplane lurched.Alexandra Skores, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
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In the end, UnitedHealth paid a bitcoin ransom worth some twenty-two million dollars, and the system lurched back online.Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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For the next five days in the pediatric ward, Nadine vacillated between moments of calm and kicking and screaming, but her vitals were steady.J. David McSwane, ProPublica, 7 Dec. 2024
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The bar world has been vacillating between maximalism and minimalism over the last few years.Scott Hocker, theweek, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The one man who should have been there was Daddy, but in his place stood a photographer who, trembling, held the camera and filmed these moments for Daddy.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
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Dramatically reenacting the scene in the special, Foxx’s legs tremble, his eyes wide.Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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European auto sales charts are filled with red ink as economies totter but a rare positive story surrounds Toyota’s premium subsidy Lexus, which will be helped by its newest electric vehicle, the RZ 300e.Neil Winton, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
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America was full of hope, tottering hastily toward a technological age filled with grand expectations for the future.Ruby Thélot, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near teeter
Cite this Entry
“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teeter. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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