1
as in staggered
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 faltered
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tottered
Verb
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The raises, which will be staggered, will amount to a cumulative 16% increase over the next three years, starting with a 2% increase in January 2026.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
9 Sep. 2025 -
Commissioners are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, each serving staggered seven-year terms to provide continuity and independence from election cycles.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The only categories that The Studio faltered in were the Supporting Actor/Actress in a Comedy categories.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
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Iranian officials have long pledged to restore the lake, but revival efforts have faltered.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Kirk lurched back and to the left.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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Stripped of a reliable majority, Macron's governments have lurched from one showdown to the next.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The two of us boarded, then gently wobbled side to side for balance.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
28 Aug. 2025
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But the wheels wobbled, with spurts of energy coming to dead stops as Wayne bounced from song to song.—
Heather Bushman,
IndyStar,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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A week after suffering a gut-punch loss to Nevada in Reno when two winning touchdowns were called back in the final moment and a tying field goal with seconds to play just missed, Sac State shook off early jitters to unleash a balanced offense in improving to 1-2.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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Just three months ago, Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war that shook the Middle East.—
Ian Bremmer,
Time,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The murder, which rocked the quiet neighborhood and haunted those who loved Leslie, remained unsolved for over two decades.—
Claire Lempert,
ABC News,
12 Sep. 2025
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Once again, a shooting with multiple victims has rocked Colorado – this time at a high school in Evergreen.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For much of last season, Atletico appeared set to seriously compete on all fronts, but their season shuddered to a stop in March with a series of disappointing defeats by Barcelona and Madrid across La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
15 Aug. 2025
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The van shuddered, shifted gear.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Tottered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tottered. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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