Definition

1. Verb:

   • To speak or say something in a hesitant, broken, or unsteady way: To lose confidence or fluency in speech, often due to nervousness, uncertainty, or emotion.
   • To move or walk unsteadily and hesitantly: To lose strength or momentum in movement, appearing as if about to fall or stop.
   • To lose strength, momentum, or effectiveness; to waver: To become weaker or less certain in action, purpose, or intensity.

2. Noun:

   • An act or instance of faltering: A moment of hesitation, unsteadiness, or loss of confidence.

Usage Examples

• Verb (Speech):
  • Her voice began to falter as she described the difficult memory.
  • The witness faltered under the intense questioning from the lawyer.
• Verb (Movement):
  • The exhausted hiker faltered on the steep, rocky trail.
  • He faltered for a moment before stepping onto the stage.
• Verb (Strength/Effectiveness):
  • The company's profits began to falter during the economic downturn.
  • My resolve never faltered, even when the task seemed impossible.

Advanced Usage

• "to falter out": To utter something with a faltering voice.
  • He faltered out an apology, his eyes fixed on the floor.
• "without faltering": Without hesitation or loss of confidence.
  • She delivered the complex lecture without faltering once.

Variants and Related Words

• Faltering (adjective): Unsteady, hesitant, or losing strength.
  • He took a few faltering steps before collapsing.
  • The project continued at a faltering pace.
• Falteringly (adverb): In a faltering manner.
  • She spoke falteringly about her future plans.

Synonyms

• Hesitate: To pause before saying or doing something, often due to indecision.
• Stammer/Stutter: To speak with sudden, involuntary pauses or repetitions of sounds.
• Waver: To become unsteady or uncertain; to fluctuate between choices.
• Stumble: To trip or momentarily lose one's balance while walking; to make a mistake while speaking.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Falter" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. The verb typically stands alone or is used with prepositions like "in," "on," or "under.")

Related Idioms

• "Not falter for a second": To not hesitate or show any sign of weakness.
  • She faced the challenge and did not falter for a second.
• "A faltering step/economy/voice": A common collocation describing something that is unsteady or weakening.
  • The news reported on the nation's faltering economy.

Noun

1. the act of pausing uncertainly
   • there was a hesitation in his speech

Verb

1. speak haltingly
   • The speaker faltered when he saw his opponent enter the room
2. walk unsteadily
   • The drunk man stumbled about
3. move hesitatingly, as if about to give way
4. be unsure or weak
   • Their enthusiasm is faltering