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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If a birth cohort hits what normally would be their high-earning years just as an economy booms, as the baby boomers did, their lifetime earnings will be far higher than a cohort reaching those ages just as the economy falters or goes into severe recession.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
26 Apr. 2026
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But even if Ohtani falters against the Giants, who rank near the bottom of the league in runs scored per game, that will not be a death knell to his candidacy.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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But Wembanyama is on the short list of MVP favorites as the league lurches toward the playoffs, a list that includes former NBA champions Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of OKC, Denver’s Nikola Jokic along with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Los Angeles’ Luka Doncic.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 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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Woody Harrelson rocks a newsboy cap at the premiere of Animal Farm in New York City on April 21.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a reception, held on Victory Day marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
15 Apr. 2026
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Protein shakes can be made with milk or water.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Totters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/totters. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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