teeter

1 of 2

verb

tee·​ter ˈtē-tər How to pronounce teeter (audio)
teetered; teetering; teeters

intransitive verb

1
a
: to move unsteadily : wobble
b
: waver, vacillate
teetered on the brink of bankruptcy
2
: seesaw

teeter

2 of 2

noun

Examples of teeter in a Sentence

Verb The pile of books teetered and fell to the floor. She teetered down the street in her high heels.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Which can pose a challenge to a director, who must ride a Shepard balance board, teetering between the somber and the sardonic, the real and the metaphorical. Maya Phillips, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025 Scorched by multiple fires, the property was teetering on the edge of being a blight and a nuisance in downtown San Jose, in the view of some observers. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
President-elect Trump is weighing his options for Defense secretary as Pete Hegseth’s nomination teeters amid criticism from some Republicans about misconduct allegations. Brett Samuels, The Hill, 4 Dec. 2024 In that way, the Y3K style teeters between minimalism and maximalism uniquely and interestingly. Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for teeter

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English titeren to totter, reel; akin to Old High German zittarōn to shiver

First Known Use

Verb

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of teeter was in 1844

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teeter. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

teeter

verb
tee·​ter
ˈtēt-ər
1
a
: to move unsteadily
teetered on the edge and fell over the side
2
teeter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on teeter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!