tottering 1 of 2

adjective

ˈtä-tə-riŋ How to pronounce tottering (audio)
Definition of totteringnext
as in shaking
marked by or given to small uncontrollable bodily movements after the accident, she was only able to take a few tottering steps at a time

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tottering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of totter
1
as in staggering
to move forward while swaying from side to side tottered around the house as she practiced walking in high heels

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in faltering
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side the figurine tottered precariously for a moment before falling off the shelf

Synonyms & Similar Words

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tottering
  1. teetering
  2. weaving
  3. shaking
  4. shaky
  5. shuffling
Verb
  • 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
Definition of teetering
Verb
  • While most companies claim to be customer centric, few practice discipline around weaving customer centricity into the fabric of the organization.
    Camille Nicita, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
  • Masterfully weaving all these strands together, Kushner has crafted another fine and engrossing piece of journalism.
    Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 3 Dec. 2024
Definition of weaving
Verb
  • Venus in Aquarius, in the meantime, is shaking things up in your third house of communication, sparking some strange conversations with siblings, close friends or perhaps over social media.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
  • According to a criminal complaint, Mangione began shaking after the question and he was taken into custody for questioning.
    Liam Quinn, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of shaking
Adjective
  • Prediction: Oregon 38, Penn State 28 ACC Championship Game: No. 17 Clemson vs No. 8 SMU After a shaky start to the year, the Tigers have battled back.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
  • However, when doubts creep in at the first signs of struggle or conflict, their commitment falters due to a shaky emotional foundation.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of shaky
Verb
  • In addition, both received the Order of the British Empire in different years (2003 and 2017, respectively), and some tabloid media are shuffling the possibility of their knighthood.
    Nuria Luis, Glamour, 4 Dec. 2024
  • James has been shuffling between the Lakers and the G League as Los Angeles tries to work out a plan to give him time for development.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2024
Definition of shuffling
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near tottering

tottered

tottering

totters

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Cite this Entry

“Tottering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tottering. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tottering

Nglish: Translation of tottering for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of tottering for Arabic Speakers

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