halting
Americanadjective
-
faltering or hesitating, especially in speech.
-
faulty or imperfect.
-
limping or lame.
a halting gait.
adjective
-
hesitant
halting speech
-
lame
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of halting
late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at halt 2, -ing 2
Explanation
The adjective halting is used to describe something that is fragmentary or prone to interruptions. If you are overcome with emotion at your wedding, you may choke out your vows in a halting voice. The adjective halting can describe something or someone with limping or disabled legs or feet. If you have sprained your ankle and it's icy out this winter, you will probably walk with a halting gait and walk slowly and carefully. The word halting in this sense comes from the Old English word lemphalt, which means "limping."
Vocabulary lists containing halting
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Much Ado About Nothing
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Feeling Faint: Synonyms for "Weak"
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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.
Following the latest round of US-brokered talks in Washington on Wednesday, envoys from Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement a ceasefire that hinged on Iran-backed Hezbollah halting its attacks.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
But staff around the world would go unpaid, halting food and security programs.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
“I felt like I just didn’t know I wanted to keep doing it,” Brockman said, his voice halting.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
Many things mark Kenneth as different, including a halting manner of speaking that sometimes seems like neurodiversity and other times like post-traumatic shock.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
Gerris said, in a halting approximation of High Valyrian.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
