What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
tottering
Example
The old man was tottering down the street with his cane. [tottering: verb]
Example
The company's finances were tottering on the brink of bankruptcy. [tottering: gerund or present participle]
wobbly
Example
The table was wobbly and needed to be fixed. [wobbly: adjective]
Example
She felt wobbly after getting off the rollercoaster. [wobbly: adjective]
Example
The stock market was wobbly due to political uncertainty. [wobbly: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Wobbly is more commonly used than tottering in everyday language. Wobbly is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while tottering is less common and primarily used to describe a person's physical condition.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between tottering and wobbly?
Both tottering and wobbly are informal words and are not typically used in formal contexts.
