falters

verb

present tense third-person singular of falter
1
as in hesitates
to show uncertainty about the right course of action William Lloyd Garrison never once faltered in his demand that slavery be unconditionally abolished

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2
as in trembles
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side the cut tree seemed to falter for a moment before crashing to the ground

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of falters American military resources are stretched and political pressure in Washington is mounting, while Iran’s economy falters. — David Rising, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 This leadership vacuum raises serious questions about the agencies' ability to craft meaningful crypto rules, especially if the Senate's Clarity Act vote falters. — Cleve Mesidor, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 While the federal government remains indispensable in public health, these state-level collaborations demonstrated that regional governance can emerge quickly when national leadership falters. — John Eger, Mercury News, 17 July 2026 The system implemented by the National Weather Service falters mathematically when both the temperature and humidity are particularly high. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 3 July 2026 Conquerors and autocrats may win the immediate battle by bullying their subjects into submission, but their empires inevitably crumble the moment their iron grip falters. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 June 2026 If Clark falters or Shinnecock Hills rises up — now less likely with the wind expected to calm down — then Scheffler figures to be the best bet to scoop up the trophy and wrap up the career Grand Slam. — ABC News, 20 June 2026 Such investors might be more inclined to dump their shares if the company's growth falters, rather than ride out the storm, Grelck said. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 10 June 2026 Sometimes, things get a bit heavy-handed, and while there’s certainly room for museums to bear the stamp of their founders, as do the Frick Collection in New York, the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, and many others, Alice Walton’s vision sometimes falters in execution. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 8 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falters
  1. hesitates
  2. wobbles
  3. shakes
  4. shudders
  5. wavers
  6. rocks
  7. lurches
  8. totters
Verb
  • If an employee hesitates or overcommits, avoid making assumptions or asking defensive questions.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Your vehicle hesitates when shifting gears A short pause or delay between pressing the gas and your car responding is an early sign of transmission trouble.
    — Michael Kurko, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of hesitates
Verb
  • Put plainly, the body that watches over the global financial system, chaired by the governor of the Bank of England, is saying the prices these funds report rest partly on judgment, and that the judgment wobbles precisely when it is tested.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
  • Sketch a plan for practice, then show up even if motivation wobbles.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 6 Apr. 2026
Definition of wobbles
Verb
  • While operating, Joseph shakes off the space madness by recalling La’an’s advice.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • First, the bat boy shakes his head as Guccione explains why the balk was overturned.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of shakes
Verb
  • The system shudders a bit and then gets back to normal, like a person stubbing a toe or twisting an ankle faces discomfort and difficulty walking for a while.
    — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The American flag has never been among those Davis shudders to make.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 6 June 2026
Definition of shudders
Verb
  • There, Mary presses the child’s face deep into her own with a pressure that wavers between grief and affection.
    — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Gargash said Gulf Arab states cannot continue to be targeted as Iran wavers between escalation and restraint.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
Definition of wavers
Verb
  • Amanda Seyfried rocks this soft yet vibrant blend of pink and orange tones, creating a warm, sunlit effect.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The Lenovo IdeaCentre Tower PC rocks an Intel Core Ultra 7 265 processor, a generous 16GB of memory, and a roomy 1TB SSD.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of rocks
Verb
  • The film unhurriedly lurches from one markedly similar fight scene to the next, with only Skeletor’s occasional injections of ripe innuendo to liven them up a bit.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 2 June 2026
  • By the end, Noonan’s film stops feeling like a first date and starts to resemble the makings of a crime scene as his mood lurches toward something dangerous.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 1 May 2026
Definition of lurches
Verb
  • 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
Definition of totters

Browse Nearby Words

falteringly
falters
fame
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Cite this Entry

“Falters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falters. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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