falter

C1 · Advanced Literary

v. to speak in a broken or unsteady way because you are nervous or upset.

v. to speak hesitantly or with a wavering voice, typically due to emotional distress or lack of confidence.

“His voice started to falter as he tried to explain the bad news.”

“She did not falter once during her testimony, delivering her statement with a clarity that surprised the courtroom.”

C2 · Proficiency Literary

v. to move or walk in a way that is not steady, as if you might fall.

v. to move unsteadily or stumble; to show physical instability while in motion.

“The tired runner's steps began to falter in the final mile of the race.”

“He faltered for a moment at the edge of the clearing, his strength spent after hours of trekking through the dense underbrush.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary

n. a short moment of weakness, hesitation, or unsteadiness.

n. an instance of wavering, stumbling, or speaking with hesitation.

“There was a slight falter in her voice, but she quickly recovered.”

“Any falter in the engine's rhythm was enough to make the pilot check his instruments with renewed anxiety.”