TEETER Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

teeter

verb

ˈtē-tər

Definition of teeter

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

Relevance

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

as in to hesitate

to show uncertainty about the right course of action was teetering on the brink of making a decision about college

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of teeter This is the man who wants to ensure the survival of human civilization while our own planet teeters toward the abyss? — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 All of these statements have left Carlson teetering at the edge of respectability within the Republican Party. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026 While Berlin’s Tuttle teetered on the verge of being fired by the German government, which funds 40% of the event, Barbera came out of last year’s political polemics on the Lido unscathed. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026 The news shocked scientists and engineers across NASA missions, who were suddenly dealt a dose of uncertainty as their job security teetered in political limbo. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for teeter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for teeter

Verb

Washington’s diplomatic efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine have faltered, with Moscow looking to up its defense spending next year.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
From 2019 to 2022, Solomon led an aggressive expansion of the bank’s consumer-lending business, which ultimately faltered and resulted in billions of pretax losses.

— Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of falter

Verb

But only weeks into his first season, as the Jets staggered to a 3-14 record, the team traded two of its best defensive players in cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 3 Oct. 2026
The screening times were staggered, allowing Pawlikowski to hurry from one place to the next and introduce his film.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of stagger

Verb

Much of the film plays out in close-up as Alex watches, plays, thinks, hesitates.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
But the clearest lesson from Iowa is that states that engage early and set smart terms come out ahead, while those that hesitate watch the investment head elsewhere.

— Jeff Danielson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitate

Verb

But now, the occupation seems to tremble before Palestinian children holding paper and string.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Those afflicted would tremble and jerk around, lose the ability to stand or swallow, and, after many months of slow suffering, die.

— David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of tremble

Verb

Like a lot of us who tottered into consciousness in the second half of the 20th century, Les Claypool grew up with cartoons from the family television beaming into his retinas.

— Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026
Outside, a gull tottered to the window and tapped its beak against the glass.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026

Definition of totter

Browse Nearby Words

tees off

teeter

teetered

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teeter. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of teeter

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inscrutable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes