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falter

[ fawl-ter ]
/ ˈfɔl tər /
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See synonyms for: falter / faltered / faltering / falteringly on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)
to hesitate or waver in action, purpose, intent, etc.; give way: Her courage did not falter at the prospect of hardship.
to speak hesitatingly or brokenly.
to move unsteadily; stumble.
verb (used with object)
to utter hesitatingly or brokenly: to falter an apology.
noun
the act of faltering; an unsteadiness of gait, voice, action, etc.
a faltering sound.
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Origin of falter

1300–50; Middle English falteren, of obscure origin; perhaps akin to Old Norse faltrast to bother with, be troubled with

OTHER WORDS FROM falter

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use falter in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for falter

falter
/ (ˈfɔːltə) /

verb
(intr) to be hesitant, weak, or unsure; waver
(intr) to move unsteadily or hesitantly; stumble
to utter haltingly or hesitantly; stammer
noun
uncertainty or hesitancy in speech or action
a quavering or irregular sound

Derived forms of falter

falterer, nounfalteringly, adverb

Word Origin for falter

C14: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Icelandic faltrast
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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