totters

verb

present tense third-person singular of totter
1
as in staggers
to move forward while swaying from side to side tottered around the house as she practiced walking in high heels

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in falters
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

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 totters But The Gilded Age doesn’t do pure villains with its main cast, and Oscar totters between failson and tragic figure, the closeted heir of the Van Rhijn family dragged to hell and back after being defrauded of his mother’s fortune. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totters
  1. staggers
  2. falters
  3. lurches
  4. wobbles
  5. rocks
  6. shakes
Verb
  • Steely and deliberate songwriting that casually staggers down the line between rhythm and melody, laced with loose yet conscious jams.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2026
  • Like many Florida school districts, OCPS staggers start times to most efficiently use its school buses and drivers.
    — Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
Definition of staggers
Verb
  • Lucy’s constant sense of invention sometimes falters under the album’s new, megawatt spotlight, lacking the enticing mystery that gives their best music its power.
    — H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Power play falters For the first time this season, the Oilers power play was a no-show, going 0-for-3 in the first period.
    — Janson Duench, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of falters
Verb
  • The alternative is a region that lurches from crisis to crisis, and from one extreme to another.
    — DAN RESTREPO, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026
  • With a cigarette dangling from her lips, ashes and curse words ever ready to fall, Angela lurches around the house critical of everything and everyone.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of lurches
Verb
  • If the fan wobbles noticeably at the ceiling or the mounting assembly moves, turn it off and have an electrician or qualified ceiling fan technician inspect it.
    — Tricia Goss, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Those impacts could also extend as far south as the New Jersey coast if the storm wobbles farther west.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of wobbles
Verb
  • Linkin Park’s new documentary Unshatter, which rocks into theaters today, was originally set to be a traditional concert film.
    — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Amanda Seyfried rocks this soft yet vibrant blend of pink and orange tones, creating a warm, sunlit effect.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of rocks
Verb
  • The farm has also increased the parking and extended the season to 30 weeks in hopes of giving fans a longer period to enjoy not only the cinnamon rolls but also shakes, jellies and baked goods.
    — Connie Ogle October 1, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter shakes hands with Purdue Northwest students after swearing them in as interns with the High Tech Crime Unit on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
    — Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of shakes

Browse Nearby Words

tottering
totters
tottery
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Cite this Entry

“Totters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totters. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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