noun · verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˈfɒltə/
UK:/ˈfɔːltə/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈfɔltəɹ/
General-American:[ˈfɔl.tɚ]
cot-caught-merger:/ˈfɑltəɹ/
cot-caught-merger:[ˈfɑl.tɚ]
Texas:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian, New-Zealand:/ˈfɔltə/
rhymes with -ɒltə(ɹ)
rhymes with -ɔːltə(ɹ)
CMU ARPABET:F AO1 L T ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An unsteadiness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To waver or be unsteady; to weaken or trail off.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To stammer; to utter with hesitation, or in a weak and trembling manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To fail in distinctness or regularity of exercise; said of the mind or of thought.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To stumble.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To lose faith or vigor; to doubt or abandon (a cause).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To hesitate in purpose or action.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To cleanse or sift, as barley.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
the act of pausing uncertainly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
there was a hesitation in his speech
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hesitation, waver, faltering
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: pause
10
verb
Meaning 10
speak haltingly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The speaker faltered when he saw his opponent enter the room
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: waver
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: move
13
verb
Meaning 13
be unsure or weak
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Their enthusiasm is faltering
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: waver
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: hesitate, waver, waffle
History
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.
Across languages
Translations
78 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
колебание
(kolebanie)
— unsteadiness — see also unsteadiness
Bulgarian:
отклонение
(otklonenie)
— unsteadiness — see also unsteadiness
Bulgarian:
неустойчивост
(neustojčivost)
— unsteadiness — see also unsteadiness
Finnish:
epävakaus
— unsteadiness — see also unsteadiness
German:
Wanken
— unsteadiness — see also unsteadiness
Polish:
chwiejność
— unsteadiness — see also unsteadiness
Polish:
niestałość
— unsteadiness — see also unsteadiness
Polish:
zmienność
— unsteadiness — see also unsteadiness
Bulgarian:
залитам
(zalitam)
— To waver or be unsteady
Czech:
zakolísat
— To waver or be unsteady
Czech:
pokulhávat
— To waver or be unsteady
Czech:
zadrhávat
— To waver or be unsteady
Dutch:
wankelen
— To waver or be unsteady
Finnish:
horjua
— To waver or be unsteady
Finnish:
huojua
— To waver or be unsteady
French:
vaciller
— To waver or be unsteady
German:
wanken
— To waver or be unsteady
German:
wackeln
— To waver or be unsteady
German:
schwächeln
— To waver or be unsteady
German:
flackern
— To waver or be unsteady
Māori:
tapepa
— To waver or be unsteady
Māori:
tapepe
— To waver or be unsteady
Māori:
whati
— To waver or be unsteady
Occitan:
trantalhar
— To waver or be unsteady
Occitan:
trantolar
— To waver or be unsteady
Polish:
chwiać się
— To waver or be unsteady
Polish:
zachwiać się
— To waver or be unsteady
Russian:
дрогнуть
(drognutʹ)
— To waver or be unsteady
Swedish:
vackla
— To waver or be unsteady
Ukrainian:
похитнутися
(poxytnutysja)
— To waver or be unsteady
Ukrainian:
хитатися
(xytatysja)
— To waver or be unsteady
Bulgarian:
спъвам се
(spǎvam se)
— To stumble
Czech:
klopýtat
— To stumble
Czech:
klopýtnout
— To stumble
Czech:
zakopnout
— To stumble
Czech:
potácet se
— To stumble
Czech:
zapotácet se
— To stumble
Dutch:
struikelen
— To stumble
Finnish:
kompastella
— To stumble
Finnish:
kompuroida
— To stumble
German:
stolpern
— To stumble
German:
straucheln
— To stumble
Italian:
inciampare
— To stumble
Māori:
tapepa
— To stumble
Māori:
tapatu
— To stumble
Occitan:
trabucar
— To stumble
Occitan:
trantalhar
— To stumble
Occitan:
trantolar
— To stumble
Polish:
potykać się
— To stumble
Polish:
potknąć się
— To stumble
Polish:
zataczać się
— To stumble
Polish:
zatoczyć się
— To stumble
Russian:
оступаться
(ostupatʹsja)
— To stumble
Russian:
спотыкаться
(spotykatʹsja)
— To stumble
Ukrainian:
спотикатися
(spotykatysja)
— To stumble
Azerbaijani:
duruxmaq
— To hesitate
Bulgarian:
колебая се
(kolebaja se)
— To hesitate
Bulgarian:
поколебая се
(pokolebaja se)
— To hesitate
Bulgarian:
поколебавам се
(pokolebavam se)
— To hesitate
Catalan:
dubtar
— To hesitate
Czech:
váhat
— To hesitate
Czech:
zaváhat
— To hesitate
Czech:
znejistět
— To hesitate
Czech:
ztratit odvahu
— To hesitate
Dutch:
aarzelen
— To hesitate
Finnish:
jahkailla
— To hesitate
Finnish:
aikailla
— To hesitate
Finnish:
empiä
— To hesitate
German:
zögern
— To hesitate
German:
zaudern
— To hesitate
German:
ins Stocken geraten
— To hesitate
Occitan:
trantalhar
— To hesitate
Occitan:
esitar
— To hesitate
Polish:
wahać się
— To hesitate
Polish:
zawahać się
— To hesitate
Ukrainian:
вагатися
(vahatysja)
— To hesitate
Spanish:
flaquear
— to lose faith or vigor; to doubt or abandon (a cause)
Spanish:
fallar
— to lose faith or vigor; to doubt or abandon (a cause)