よろめく・蹌踉めく・蹣跚めくyoromeku[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. godan verb, intransitive verbto stagger; to stumble; to totter; to reel
   警棒けいぼうで空そらをなぐりつけ、よろめいて体勢たいせいをたてなおしたガードマンは、自分じぶんに向むかって突進とっしんしてくる金網かなあみづくりのクズカゴを見みた。↗

   The guard's truncheon hit air. Off balance, he regained his posture to see a metal-mesh rubbish bin flying towards him.
2. godan verb, intransitive verbto waver; to be in two minds
3. godan verb, intransitive verbto have an affair (with); to fall (for someone)

• SynonymふらふらCasualAn adverb for tottering, dizzy weakness, and also for indecision or drifting aimlessly; 「よろめく」 is a verb that stresses nearly falling over.
• SynonymよろけるNeutralNearly interchangeable with 「よろめく」 for stumbling, but stresses suddenly losing one's footing; it lacks 「よろめく」's figurative sense of being tempted or having an affair.
• Related揺れるゆれるNeutralThe broadest term, for any object swaying or feelings wavering, as in 「船が揺れる」; 「よろめく」 is a person staggering as if to fall, or yielding to temptation.
• Related揺るぐゆるぐWrittenTypically in the negative 「揺るがない」, for foundations or beliefs that do not waver; 「よろめく」 describes a person's unsteady steps about to give way.
• RelatedゆらゆらNeutralAn adverb for objects swaying slowly and broadly, as in 「炎がゆらゆら揺れる」; it is not used for a person staggering on their feet.
• Relatedぐら付くぐらつくNeutralMostly for things shaking unsteadily, and for resolve wavering, as in 「決心がぐらつく」; 「よろめく」 is mainly about a person staggering on their feet.
• RelatedふらつくNeutralCovers dizziness and unsteady footing, plus a wavering mind or wandering about, as in 「足元がふらつく」; 「よろめく」 stresses being on the verge of falling.
• RelatedたゆたうWrittenA literary, elegant word for drifting slowly on water or in the air, also for hesitating; it is not used for a person's unsteady, staggering steps.
• Related揺らめくゆらめくNeutralFor flames, shadows or water surfaces gently flickering and swaying; descriptive in flavor, and not used for a person's stumbling steps.
• RelatedひょろけるCasualColloquial and rare, for light, unsteady steps; close to 「よろける」. In everyday speech 「よろける」 or 「ふらつく」 is more common.
• Antonymしっかり歩くNeutralWalking with firm, steady steps; a descriptive phrase that stands at the opposite pole from 「よろめく」's staggering, near-falling gait.
• Antonym真っ直ぐ歩くNeutralWalking straight ahead without veering side to side; a descriptive phrase opposed to 「よろめく」's lurching, disorderly steps.

For unsteady footing on the verge of falling, choose 「よろめく」 or 「よろける」; for things shaking or swaying, 「揺れる」 or 「ぐらつく」. Unlike 「よろける」, 「よろめく」 can also mean giving in to temptation or straying into an affair. For flames or shadows flickering, use 「揺らめく」; 「揺蕩う」 is a literary word for drifting or hesitating. 「ふらつく」 covers dizziness, wavering minds and wandering.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 足取あしどりが乱みだれ、倒たおれそうになる。
2. 誘惑ゆうわくに乗のる。浮気うわきをする。