adjective

faltering

Faltering (adjective) means Weak, hesitant, or unsteady. Example: “He gave a faltering speech, clearly nervous.”

adjective

Weak, hesitant, or unsteady.

"He gave a faltering speech, clearly nervous."

noun

Hesitation or unsteadiness.

"There was a slight faltering in her step as she crossed the stage."

How to use faltering

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishShaky, hesitant, or lacking confidence.

Common pairings

faltering voice faltering economy faltering steps

more faltering comparative, falterings plural, most faltering superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

He gave a _____ speech, clearly nervous.

From falter plus the suffix -ing.

hesitation waver falter

rock delay pause reservation hesitate sway hesitation reluctance

peering tapering lowering covering offering entering altering cheering steering uttering ordering towering

What does “faltering” mean?

The word “faltering” means weak, hesitant, or unsteady. In plain terms, shaky, hesitant, or lacking confidence.

How do you use “faltering” in a sentence?

Here is “faltering” used in a sentence: “He gave a faltering speech, clearly nervous.”

What part of speech is “faltering”?

Depending on how it is used, “faltering” can be an adjective and a noun.

How many meanings does “faltering” have?

“Faltering” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: weak, hesitant, or unsteady.

rock delay pause reservation hesitate sway hesitation reluctance