What does "falter" mean?
An unsteadiness.
Falter
/ˈfɔltəɹ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An unsteadiness.
- Grammar: falter is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: hesitation, waver, abandon hope, back down.
- Useful contrasts: unfailing, advancement, booms.
- Usage evidence: Lucy's bloodless lips could only falter out the words, “It was my mother.”
How to use "falter"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "falter" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "falter" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "falter" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "falter" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "falter" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "hesitation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "falter", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An unsteadiness.
"Tom, who isn't paying much attention, is suddenly caught by the falter in his voice as he reads the two lines—"
- 2 the act of pausing uncertainly wordnet
Verb
- 1 To waver or be unsteady; to weaken or trail off.
"He found his legs falter."
- 2 speak haltingly wordnet
- 3 To stammer; to utter with hesitation, or in a weak and trembling manner. ambitransitive
"And here he faltered forth his last farewell."
- 4 walk unsteadily, tripping repeatedly wordnet
- 5 To fail in distinctness or regularity of exercise; said of the mind or of thought.
"Here indeed the power of distinctly conceiving of space and distance falters."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 move hesitatingly, as if about to give way wordnet
- 7 To stumble.
- 8 be unsure or weak wordnet
- 9 To lose faith or vigor; to doubt or abandon (a cause). figuratively
"And remember, comrades, your resolution must never falter."
- 10 To hesitate in purpose or action.
"Ere her native king / Shall falter under foul rebellion's arms."
- 11 To cleanse or sift, as barley.
"Barley[…]clean falter'd from Hairs"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Lucy's bloodless lips could only falter out the words, “It was my mother.”"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "falter"?
Common synonyms include: hesitation, waver, abandon hope, back down, back out, balance.
How do you use "falter" in a sentence?
Lucy's bloodless lips could only falter out the words, “It was my mother.”
How do you pronounce "falter"?
Pronounced /ˈfɔltəɹ/.
Etymology
From Middle English falteren (“to stagger; be unsteady, tremble, quiver; to stammer; be entangled, get caught”), further origin unknown. Probably from a North Germanic source such as Old Norse faltrask (“to hesitate, be puzzled, be encumbered”). May also be a frequentative of fold, although the change from d to t is unusual.