as in tottering
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in faltering
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
2
as in staggering
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 hesitating
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 teetering
Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
The world is bracing for another energy crisis this winter, with natural gas markets teetering on the brink of volatility.
—Dan Eberhart, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
For over a month, the national average gas price has been teetering on the edge of dropping below $3 for the first time in three years, according to AAA.
—Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
This big band take of a song already teetering on irredeemable absurdity, wants to be lush and seductive.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
In 2015, Assad’s regime was teetering when Russia intervened to save the dictatorship.
—Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024
Hegseth's nomination has been teetering, though, amid a series of revelations about his personal life.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024
Just as Paris’ Notre-Dame cathedral rises from the ashes, France’s government is teetering on the brink of collapse.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 4 Dec. 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
Verb
There are images of students teetering on stilts, of kids who look too small to be there playing with toy soldiers in a puddle of milk.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
The world is bracing for another energy crisis this winter, with natural gas markets teetering on the brink of volatility.
—Dan Eberhart, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
For over a month, the national average gas price has been teetering on the edge of dropping below $3 for the first time in three years, according to AAA.
—Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
This big band take of a song already teetering on irredeemable absurdity, wants to be lush and seductive.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
In 2015, Assad’s regime was teetering when Russia intervened to save the dictatorship.
—Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024
Hegseth's nomination has been teetering, though, amid a series of revelations about his personal life.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024
Just as Paris’ Notre-Dame cathedral rises from the ashes, France’s government is teetering on the brink of collapse.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 4 Dec. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teetering
Adjective
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Griff's was a cozy space inside with a small, rickety wooden patio in the front and a larger one in the back.Brianna Griff, Chron, 13 Jan. 2023
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Instead of rickety outdoor patios with plastic partitions, diners mostly ate in dining rooms.Nick Kindelsperger, Chicago Tribune, 28 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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For eons, gay men (and their enablers) have been passing down misinformation about something that is admittedly precarious, yet more simple than it's made out to be.Fran Tirado, Them, 20 Dec. 2024
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Yes, but: Republicans' control of Congress beginning in January will be precarious.Scott Rosenberg, Axios, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Their journey of friendship and rivalry is the emotional core of a story that is startlingly political, a leap made effectively by Jeff Goldblum’s dodgy, smarmy and doddering Wizard, who’s ably assisted by the darkly dangerous aide de camp Michelle Yeoh.Steven Gaydos, Variety, 16 Dec. 2024
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Once upon a time, a doddering old man spoke of a dream about a united city in this empire’s capital, where every man, woman, and child could walk its streets and live a good life regardless of their patrician or plebeian birthright.David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Symptoms like a fast heart rate, or shortness of breath, shaking and chills, confusion or lethargy.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
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In the video, a terrified Archie can be seen frozen, staring and shaking.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The name has been around since 1909, weaving up iconic woolen and jacquard designs first for Indigenous communities and later for the masses.Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 24 Dec. 2024
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Nick was driving over 120 miles per hour in Beverly Hills, Florida, in Citrus County when a Florida Highway Patrol trooper observed the man weaving in-and-out of traffic.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near teetering
Cite this Entry
“Teetering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teetering. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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