falter
verb (used without object)
to hesitate or waver in action, purpose, intent, etc.; give way.
had faltered
-
past perfectof falter.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Little more than 24 hours earlier, Mouat and Jen Dodds had faltered in the bronze-medal match in the Cortina Curling Stadium for the second successive Games.
From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2026
But almost exactly 24 hours earlier, Malinin had faltered through his short program, and his wobbly performance opened the door for a Japanese upset.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
The Doncic-Irving pairing had faltered in the two months after the blockbuster trade that brought Irving from Brooklyn in 2023.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 3, 2024
Both mergers and acquisitions and initial public offerings had faltered last year in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Federal Reserve's aggressive rate hikes to tame inflation.
From Reuters ● Nov. 3, 2023
Many of history’s greatest horses had faltered under 128 pounds or more; Seabiscuit had set two track records under 133 pounds and four more under 130 while conceding massive amounts of weight to his opponents.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
