1
as in hesitated
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
William Lloyd Garrison never once faltered in his demand that slavery be unconditionally abolished
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in trembled
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side
the cut tree seemed to falter for a moment before crashing to the ground
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Recent Examples of faltered
Tennessee faltered again right before half, missing six of its final seven shots.
—
Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
Lock went 4-1 as a starter in 2019 after taking over from veteran Joe Flacco, but faltered in a rocky 2020, with a league-leading 13 interceptions in just 13 games.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Developers’ attempts to build on a golf course is not new; golf course popularity, whether standalone or part of a residential community, has faltered in recent years, leading to a trend of developing more homes on unused courses.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
Waymo also faltered during a massive power outage in the same Bay Area city in December as self-driving cars froze, blocking intersections when traffic lights went out.
—Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2026
A certain perception of Arsenal’s mental frailties persists, as if this is not just the same team that faltered in the final stages in 2022-23 but the same one that habitually cracked under pressure in the later years of Wenger’s tenure.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
David McNair, executive director of ONE Data, told Semafor the drop in lending reflected a period in which China’s economy faltered and its priorities shifted.
—semafor.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Her employer later uncovered her identity and reported her to authorities after her performance faltered, and she was demoted.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
That decline was partly due to its struggling wine and spirits division that faltered in 2025.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 Jan. 2026
Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
Lock went 4-1 as a starter in 2019 after taking over from veteran Joe Flacco, but faltered in a rocky 2020, with a league-leading 13 interceptions in just 13 games.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Developers’ attempts to build on a golf course is not new; golf course popularity, whether standalone or part of a residential community, has faltered in recent years, leading to a trend of developing more homes on unused courses.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
Waymo also faltered during a massive power outage in the same Bay Area city in December as self-driving cars froze, blocking intersections when traffic lights went out.
—Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2026
A certain perception of Arsenal’s mental frailties persists, as if this is not just the same team that faltered in the final stages in 2022-23 but the same one that habitually cracked under pressure in the later years of Wenger’s tenure.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
David McNair, executive director of ONE Data, told Semafor the drop in lending reflected a period in which China’s economy faltered and its priorities shifted.
—semafor.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Her employer later uncovered her identity and reported her to authorities after her performance faltered, and she was demoted.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
That decline was partly due to its struggling wine and spirits division that faltered in 2025.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faltered
Verb
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Even then, his father, Chris Oettinger, hesitated to believe his Olympic dreams would become a reality — until the roster was announced last month.—
Lia Assimakopoulos
Dallas Stars,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Asked if this was a statement game, Dahlin hesitated.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That border too wobbled well into the 1930s which ultimately left Mount Ararat inside Turkey.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Gauthier entered Monday with a team-high 19 goals for an Anaheim squad that started strong but has wobbled in recent weeks.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
No one spoke until Chuky shuddered his head and this time without laughing said, Shit, that’s crazy.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
East Denver sushi fans shuddered in late December when Okinawa Japanese Cuisine, a mainstay on Colfax Avenue since 2010, closed and boarded up its doors with brown paper.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Tomlyn asked, to which Chloe shook her head no.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Feb. 2026
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And after Britain scored four stones to take the score to 10-5 in end seven, Estonia’s Marie Kaldvee and Lill Harri also called an end to their match and shook hands.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Recent grocery store closures have rocked the north side of Milwaukee, where growing food deserts – areas where quality food is difficult to find – have left entire neighborhoods without ready access to food.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
On May 17, a bomb rocked Palm Springs, California – shaking structures for several blocks, shattering glass and leveling one innocuous-looking building.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In December, the judges ruled Lai was the mastermind of the conspiracies and never wavered in his intention to destabilize the ruling Chinese Communist Party.—
Kanis Leung,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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However, as our employee survey reminds us every year, people are here to serve the mission, and over the last five years our founders and staff have never wavered in their commitment to helping build a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The big polar bear lurched forward, hitting top speed in two strides.—
Scott Haugen,
Outdoor Life,
4 Feb. 2026
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As Matt Woosnam reflected recently, the Premier League’s feel-good story has lurched into night terrors.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Faltered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faltered. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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