falter
Americanverb (used without object)
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to hesitate or waver in action, purpose, intent, etc.; give way.
Her courage did not falter at the prospect of hardship.
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to speak hesitatingly or brokenly.
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to move unsteadily; stumble.
verb (used with object)
noun
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the act of faltering; an unsteadiness of gait, voice, action, etc.
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a faltering sound.
verb
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(intr) to be hesitant, weak, or unsure; waver
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(intr) to move unsteadily or hesitantly; stumble
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to utter haltingly or hesitantly; stammer
noun
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uncertainty or hesitancy in speech or action
-
a quavering or irregular sound
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of falter
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English falteren, of obscure origin; perhaps akin to Old Norse faltrast “to bother with, be troubled with”
Explanation
Falter means to hesitate, stumble, or waver, and everything from faith to voices can do it. So if you want to keep your bride or groom happy, it's best not to falter when it's your turn to say "I do." Experts may falter if you ask them where falter came from, because the origins are pretty unclear. But everyone agrees on the current meaning: someone who falters is unsteady, wobbly, or unsure. You might falter while reciting a poem if you forget some of the lines, or falter crossing a rickety rope bridge when fear gets the most of you. But you certainly won't falter when someone asks you the meaning of this word.
Vocabulary lists containing falter
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The Diary of Anne Frank
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Economists broadly expect that April will likely be the last solid month of spending momentum, with sales likely to falter later in the May data.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
But as hopes for peace falter and with U.S. inflation hitting a three-year high on Tuesday, analysts are sounding the alarm about dwindling energy reserves.
From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026
As autos and heavy manufacturing falter, Berlin is steering factories, workers and capital toward rearming Europe.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
Analysts anticipate Best Buy’s sales could falter as rising memory costs increase laptop and computer prices.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
His eyes falter and I feel everything in me cave.
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
