tottering

[ tot-er-ing ]
See synonyms for tottering on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. walking unsteadily or shakily.

  2. lacking security or stability; threatening to collapse; precarious: a tottering empire.

Origin of tottering

1

Other words from tottering

  • tot·ter·ing·ly, adverb
  • un·tot·ter·ing, adjective

Words Nearby tottering

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tottering in a sentence

  • See the tottering baby cling to its mother for support; watch it run to her when it is frightened.

  • He held out his hand to shake hers, and just as she gave it to him, the old grandmother came tottering up to ask some question.

    Ruth | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
  • I ran ahead of the tottering figure and she followed, her steps gathering strength.

    Valley of the Croen | Lee Tarbell
  • The great body moved, gathered itself, stood tottering, gazing wildly about.

    Valley of the Croen | Lee Tarbell
  • David mounted with misgivings as to whether the tottering beast had strength to carry him, but they crossed the ford in safety.