1
as in to stagger
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 to falter
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side
the figurine tottered precariously for a moment before falling off the shelf
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of totter
Following the screening, guests caught Miu Miu cabs—or tottered the 10 minutes by foot—to Langan’s Brasserie.
—
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2025
Then there's the small, sweet moments—video of my goddaughter tottering in her first pair of shoes; my cat caught mid-yawn; a selfie of me and my dad on a date to the symphony.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 18 Dec. 2024
Iraqi state institutions such as these were already tottering, and these actions threaten to erode them further.
—Michael Knights, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2023
European auto sales charts are filled with red ink as economies totter but a rare positive story surrounds Toyota’s premium subsidy Lexus, which will be helped by its newest electric vehicle, the RZ 300e.
—Neil Winton, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for totter
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2025
Then there's the small, sweet moments—video of my goddaughter tottering in her first pair of shoes; my cat caught mid-yawn; a selfie of me and my dad on a date to the symphony.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 18 Dec. 2024
Iraqi state institutions such as these were already tottering, and these actions threaten to erode them further.
—Michael Knights, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2023
European auto sales charts are filled with red ink as economies totter but a rare positive story surrounds Toyota’s premium subsidy Lexus, which will be helped by its newest electric vehicle, the RZ 300e.
—Neil Winton, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for totter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totter
Verb
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The law staggers the commissioners’ five-year terms so the president may appoint a new member annually.—
Zach Schonfeld,
The Hill,
9 Apr. 2025
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In March, 1945, as the war staggered to a close, some two hundred Hungarian Jewish forced laborers were executed near Rechnitz.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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If the book falters, the production numbers – some based on famous Marilyn images and tropes, like the Seven Year Itch‘s subway grate scene, and the Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend bit – are suitably flashy.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
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Even before the tariffs, Tesla’s business was faltering.—
Lora Kolodny,Ari Levy,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But the ruling did little to herald any political stability in the country, which has lurched from crisis to crisis.—
Choe Sang-Hun,
New York Times,
24 Mar. 2025
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For the last six weeks, Americans have been yanked and ghosted, lurched and launched with a merciless urgency.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Needless to say, those of us who remember 1987 are trembling, and were expecting a frightful jobs report.—
Eli Amdur,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Historians would be called in to provide context, and every social-media app would be trembling with outrage.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
The New Yorker,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Without Lillard, any remaining championship hopes—already wobbling like a Jenga tower missing its foundation—have officially crumbled.—
Brian Sampson,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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The scene that draws the biggest laughs from the audience features a bit of old school slapstick comedy as Cher attempts to make a clumsy romantic pass at her classmate Christian in her bedroom, falling off the bed and wobbling across the stage in heels that are far too high.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The back-and-forth over tariffs shook confidence in U.S. leadership, exposed fractures within Trump’s team and rattled companies that rely on global sources for products and international customers for sales.—
Time,
Time,
10 Apr. 2025
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The 31 percent tariff imposed on Switzerland by U.S. President Donald Trump’s new policy has shaken the luxury watch industry.—
Renan Botelho,
Footwear News,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Nintendo rocked the video game world last week with the unveiling of its new console the Switch 2, its price and, most surprisingly, a driving cow.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2025
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Their unions rocked the city with four industry-wide strikes between 1912 and 1934, before settling the Industry Wide Agreement that encouraged peaceful resolution of disputes.—
Shaun Richman,
New York Daily News,
6 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Totter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totter. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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