teeter

1 of 2

verb

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

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
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Verb
But over the last few years, Buck said prices have soared, leaving the industry teetering on collapse. Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2026 The game constantly felt on the edge, sometimes teetering over, from the first kick to the last. Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Noun
While the special effects teeter on the PlayStation 2 side and the script might be thinner than a wafer, as soon as Adkins steps into the scene, everything feels infinitely better. Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2026 This pedestal dining table works for someone whose tastes teeter between minimalist and midcentury modern. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 16 Apr. 2026 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

1843, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of teeter was in 1843

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Teeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teeter. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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

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