falter

1 of 2

verb

fal·​ter ˈfȯl-tər How to pronounce falter (audio)
faltered; faltering ˈfȯl-t(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce falter (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to walk unsteadily : stumble
the … stranger falters out of the thicket and drops to his kneesDudley Fitts
b
: to give way : totter
could feel my legs faltering
c
: to move waveringly or hesitatingly
forced to bail out of faltering airplanes over the AlpsNat'l Geographic
2
: to speak brokenly or weakly : stammer
her voice faltered
3
a
: to hesitate in purpose or action : waver
he never faltered in his determination
b
: to lose drive or effectiveness
the business was faltering

transitive verb

: to utter hesitatingly or brokenly
faltered an excuse
falterer noun
falteringly adverb

falter

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of faltering
Choose the Right Synonym for falter

hesitate, waver, vacillate, falter mean to show irresolution or uncertainty.

hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing.

hesitated before answering the question

waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat.

wavered in his support of the rebels

vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision.

vacillated until events were out of control

falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear.

never once faltered during her testimony

Examples of falter in a Sentence

Verb The business was faltering due to poor management. Their initial optimism has faltered. signs that the economy is faltering Her steps began to falter.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
There are reasons high-speed lines in the U.S. have faltered while those in Europe and Asia thrive. Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Pradeep Poonia, an engineer and edtech critic, says the company’s faltering fortunes are proof that its COVID-era growth was the result of aggressive and unethical sales tactics, rather than a transformational product. Pallavi Pundir, Fortune Asia, 1 Mar. 2024 The Chinese economy, which until recently was thought of as unstoppable, is beginning to falter due to deflation, a growing debt-to-gross domestic product ratio and the impact of a real estate crisis. Dan Murphy, The Conversation, 1 Mar. 2024 Based on my experience, here are the top four reasons small businesses falter, offering guidance to navigate the chaotic world of entrepreneurship. Steve Taplin, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 And the movie never fills in the texture of their faltering communion, at least not in a satisfying way. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024 However, amid faltering relations with his Ecuadorian hosts, his asylum status was withdrawn in 2019, and British police arrested him on charges of breaching his bail conditions. Maite Fernández Simon, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024 But if Washington State falters, the path clears for Cal’s rookie coach. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2024 This is a critical year for the prized SUV brand, which saw its move upmarket falter after higher interest rates shifted consumers toward more affordable vehicles. Gabrielle Coppola, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2024
Noun
Pushing back The Russian assault on Avdiivka comes after an unconvincing Ukrainian counter-offensive in the summer and as Western support for Kyiv falters. Vasco Cotovio, CNN, 16 Feb. 2024 Hydrogen excels where battery electric vehicle tech falters. Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 25 Feb. 2024 If one income source falters, others can pick up the slack. Melissa Houston, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 This number could grow if international funding for aid falters. Sarah Yager, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2024 Maybe the only falter is dessert, a creamy-icy concoction that includes melon panna cotta and fresh sorrel bingsu. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2024 Memory falters, personality changes, language slips, the grasp on complexity vanishes. Natalie De Souza, The New York Review of Books, 1 Feb. 2024 If military support for Ukraine falters, the consequences will be dire for Europe and the rest of the world. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Foreign Affairs, 11 Jan. 2024 The initiative’s investments have since slowed as Chinese growth falters, the United States pushes back and countries question the indebtedness the projects brought. Júlia Ledur, Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'falter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of falter was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near falter

Cite this Entry

“Falter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/falter. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

falter

verb
fal·​ter
ˈfȯl-tər
faltered; faltering
ˈfȯl-t(ə-)riŋ
1
: to move unsteadily : waver
2
: to stumble or hesitate in speech : stammer entry 1
her voice faltered
3
: to hesitate in purpose or action
courage that never falters
falter noun
falterer
-tər-ər
noun
falteringly
-t(ə-)riŋ-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on falter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!