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
As Joe Biden tottered and fell (literally as well as metaphorically), more than a few pundits compared him to Lear, a man who was ruined by age, pride, and the flattery of sycophants.
—
Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 16 May 2025
Dina Tomczak, the school’s athletic director, tottered into her office having barely slept.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 1 May 2025
The nation is tottering on the edge of dictatorship.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2025
Through a popular uprising and a long and hideous civil war, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime tottered at times, but held on, propped up by allies Russia and Iran.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for totter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for totter
Verb
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The Bills had a pretty cushy road schedule this year, playing once outside the Eastern time zone, yet staggered around early.—
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The Packers staggered to the finish with a four-game losing streak but will have quarterback Jordan Love (concussion) back.—
Verb
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Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries that falter under heat, thermal batteries use molten salts as electrolytes, which become ionically conductive only when heated.—
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Pass protection faltered, the run game stalled and Love couldn’t find a rhythm through the air as Green Bay welcomed Chicago back into the game and the Bears once again took advantage to end their archrival’s season in stunning fashion.—
Verb
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Sometimes an unexpected event lurches family members into becoming caregivers.—
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The entire tech industry lurched into motion.—
Verb
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The kind of person who trembles at watermarks is not the sort of person who dares to put marble in the dishwasher.—
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The Maine trembled and angled up, then listed to port, throwing him from his chair.—
Verb
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The crime was not the only one that shook the state over the weekend.—
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Isabel initially thought the sounds shaking her surroundings were thunder.—
Verb
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This fall, after a historic bull run, markets started to wobble—in part due to fears of an AI bubble.—
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Picture a wobbling human jenga tower.—
Cite this Entry
“Totter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totter. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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