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
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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
Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totters
Verb
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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
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The first 10 minutes of the film are set in Norms, where a grungy man staggers in with a bomb, ranting about artificial intelligence.—
Fielding Buck,
Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Once there’s some significant progress on the cross-country escape plan, the film falters a bit.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
20 May 2026
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As his relevance falters, Drake’s eye for slights and score-settling has grown so microscopic that even his stans need tweezers.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
18 May 2026
Verb
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By the end, Noonan’s film stops feeling like a first date and starts to resemble the makings of a crime scene as his mood lurches toward something dangerous.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 May 2026
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Republicans’ hopes of holding on to their slim majorities in the House and Senate may well hinge on the cost at the pump as the war against Iran lurches into its second week.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sketch a plan for practice, then show up even if motivation wobbles.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Apr. 2026
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The show continually wobbles between these two poles.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Gillian Jacobs rocks a navy pinstripe matching set to the Invisible FYC event in Los Angeles on May 17.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Her daytime meals are pretty consistent and include yogurts, protein bars, protein shakes and protein pasta.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) shakes hands with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi in Beijing, China, May 6, 2026.—
May 6,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Totters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totters. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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