falter
Begin to buckle
Falter means to lose strength, momentum, or resolve.
If your steps falter, you stumble or walk unsteadily; if your voice falters, it wavers or breaks.
More often the word applies to abstract things: confidence falters, economies falter, negotiations falter.
Her determination never faltered despite the setbacks.
To falter is not necessarily to fail completely—it suggests a wobble, a moment of uncertainty or weakness that may or may not be overcome.
Speak with involuntary repetitions
- stutterInvoluntary speech repetition
- fumbleHandle with clumsy fingers
- break offSeparate by snapping
- trail offDiminish gradually to nothing
trip over words · sputter · splutter · halt · flounder · blunder · bumble · muddle
Unsteady, brief light
- sputterEmit irregular popping sounds
- gutterEdge channel for runoff
- fluctuateVary irregularly over time
- oscillateMove rhythmically between extremes
tremble · quiver · shake · unsteady · unstable · intermittent · irregular · erratic
stammer
Speak with involuntary repetitions
trip over words · trail off · sputter · splutter · halt · flounder · blunder · bumble · muddle · garble
flicker
Unsteady, brief light
- sputterEmit irregular popping sounds
- gutterEdge channel for runoff
- fluctuateVary irregularly over time
oscillate · tremble · quiver · shake · unsteady · unstable · intermittent · irregular · erratic · fitful
pause
Temporary cessation of activity
dither · second-guess · hang back · hold back · think twice · balk · demur · scruple · shy away · pull back
flag
Cloth symbol or signal
diminish · droop · sag · slump · wilt · languish · ebb · deteriorate · fail · give out
- failingfail, fails, collapse, flop, bomb
- Stress Responsespanic, freeze, fight, flight, cope
- stallingstall, stalling, delay, hesitate, procrastinate
- decayrot, decay rate, wilt, crumble, decomposition
- deterioratedecay, rot, deteriorate, decompose, corrode
- embarrassmentembarrassed, blush, humiliated, mortify, mortified
faltersurge
Sudden powerful increase
advance · proceed · press on · stride · forge ahead
faltering, unfaltering, faltered, falters, falteringly, falterer, falterers, unfalteringly, falterings