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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Terry staggered to the lobby and collapsed, according to court documents.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
2 Sep. 2025 -
Fed governors are appointed to staggered, 14-year terms to ensure that no single president can appoint too many.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Hopes of a rail revolution that three years ago was poised to transform connectivity between major cities seem to have faltered.—
Ben Jones,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The New England Patriots faltered in the second half to start the Mike Vrabel era with a 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium.—
Tim Crowley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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As bystanders watched, the luxury yacht lurched to one side, tilting dangerously before taking on water.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
4 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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After a while, the lady shook her head.—
Bryan Washington,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
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The earthquake shook at a depth of just 4 miles, with its epicenter about 6 miles south-southeast of Pinnacles.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 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 14 Sep. 2025.
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