Standard Lemma guide

falter

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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bumble, stutter, stammer

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: talk, speak, utter, mouth, verbalize, verbalise

11

verb

Meaning 11

walk unsteadily

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The drunk man stumbled about

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stumble, bumble

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: walk

12

verb

Meaning 12

move hesitatingly, as if about to give way

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

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)