1
as in faltering
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side
he nervously teetered at the edge of the pool before finally diving in
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in staggering
to move forward while swaying from side to side
the toddler teetered down the rink in her new ice skates
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in hesitating
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
was teetering on the brink of making a decision about college
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in tottering
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of teetering
Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
To watch this film is to be fully immersed in a learning experience, while teetering on the edge of your seat, with your heart in your mouth.
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
The recent protein hubbub is teetering on overblown—not every snack food needs to be jacked up with the stuff.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 8 Oct. 2025
Completely outplayed by the Brewers thus far in a National League Division Series, the Cubs are teetering on the brink of elimination after Monday night’s 7-3 loss at American Family Field.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Sweet Martha’s cookies are baked to order, then served warm in precariously tall stacks, teetering out of a paper cup, or, better yet, the stand’s signature plastic bucket, which gets loaded with about four dozen cookies despite fitting only three dozen.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
The three-month average of the prime-age employment-to-population ratio has been teetering around the current level, but the labor market has remained resilient.
—Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Despite the dramatic implications of the film’s title, Erupcja has a casual, slice-of-life vibe to it that prevents Bethany and Rob’s woes from teetering into melodrama.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
In addition to political persecution, returning Venezuelans would reenter a country teetering on collapse—maligned by hyperinflation, soaring unemployment, rampant crime, frequent power outages, water shortages and chronic scarcities of food and medicine.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
While official figures show America's economy growing at a robust pace, a number of states are currently teetering on the edge of an economic downturn, according to Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
To watch this film is to be fully immersed in a learning experience, while teetering on the edge of your seat, with your heart in your mouth.
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
The recent protein hubbub is teetering on overblown—not every snack food needs to be jacked up with the stuff.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 8 Oct. 2025
Completely outplayed by the Brewers thus far in a National League Division Series, the Cubs are teetering on the brink of elimination after Monday night’s 7-3 loss at American Family Field.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Sweet Martha’s cookies are baked to order, then served warm in precariously tall stacks, teetering out of a paper cup, or, better yet, the stand’s signature plastic bucket, which gets loaded with about four dozen cookies despite fitting only three dozen.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
The three-month average of the prime-age employment-to-population ratio has been teetering around the current level, but the labor market has remained resilient.
—Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Despite the dramatic implications of the film’s title, Erupcja has a casual, slice-of-life vibe to it that prevents Bethany and Rob’s woes from teetering into melodrama.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
In addition to political persecution, returning Venezuelans would reenter a country teetering on collapse—maligned by hyperinflation, soaring unemployment, rampant crime, frequent power outages, water shortages and chronic scarcities of food and medicine.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teetering
Verb
-
After faltering in the semifinals of the 2024 WNBA playoffs, Wilson and the Aces capped off a dominant postseason run Friday by sweeping the Phoenix Mercury with a 97-86 win.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
11 Oct. 2025
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History will probably remember this Ravens team for faltering because of injuries, namely to their starting quarterback.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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To get through the season and the playoffs, staggering the minutes of Green and Horford is logical, even with Quintin Post picking up some center minutes.—
Jannelle Moore,
Mercury News,
21 Oct. 2025
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Cleaning can be an overwhelming task, so consider staggering your projects.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Because life—even for us jaded adults—should be for the seizing, not for hesitating in the face of fear.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
9 Oct. 2025
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Meyers acted his dang butt off in this sketch, and the audience paid him back with unsure and hesitating titters — not crickets, but not enthusiasm either.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Neither of them understands the other’s dynamic with Daniel, and the split-episode format keeps our sympathies teeter-tottering between each woman.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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An internal compression pad and multiple pockets help maximize packing space in this lightweight spinner, which is crafted from water-repellent nylon and boasts a proprietary stabilizer to prevent wobbling.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Oct. 2025
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Think polarization, geopolitical instability, a lot of things that just have people wobbling right now.—
Fortune Editors,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The mood is lurching between calm and doom-mongering chaos.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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The administration’s lurching one way and another with tariffs is another example.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Everything looks so rickety — this stadium wasn’t built for pandemonium like this.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
15 Aug. 2025
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Griff's was a cozy space inside with a small, rickety wooden patio in the front and a larger one in the back.—
Brianna Griff,
Chron,
13 Jan. 2023
Verb
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The builders said the pipeline will follow its pipeline predecessors, weaving across Arizona, New Mexico and California where others already exist, using some existing infrastructure.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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The pattern is described as a decorative textile craft that utilizes knotting instead of weaving or knitting to craft apparel or decorative items.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Teetering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teetering. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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