stagger

1 of 3

verb

stag·​ger ˈsta-gər How to pronounce stagger (audio)
staggered; staggering ˈsta-g(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce stagger (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to reel from side to side : totter
b
: to move on unsteadily
staggered toward the door
2
: to waver in purpose or action : hesitate
3
: to rock violently
the ship staggered

transitive verb

1
: to cause to doubt or hesitate : perplex
2
: to cause to reel or totter
3
: to arrange in any of various zigzags, alternations, or overlappings of position or time
stagger work shifts
stagger teeth on a cutter
staggerer noun

stagger

2 of 3

noun

1
staggers plural in form but singular or plural in construction : an abnormal condition of domestic animals associated with damage to the central nervous system and marked by incoordination and a reeling unsteady gait
2
: a reeling or unsteady gait or stance
3
: an arrangement in which the leading edge of the upper wing of a biplane is advanced over that of the lower

stagger

3 of 3

adjective

: marked by an alternating or overlapping pattern

Examples of stagger in a Sentence

Verb She staggered over to the sofa. A hard slap on the back staggered him. It staggers me to see how much money they've spent on this project. They staggered the runners' starting positions. Noun He walked with a slight stagger.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The routes will have staggered start dates between May 2 and May 25. Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 29 Feb. 2024 That means tracing cocoa from pod to port, a costly mandate for an industry already staggered by declining production and record prices for futures. Mumbi Gitau, Fortune Europe, 27 Feb. 2024 The clubs’ costs would be covered by membership fees, which would be staggered according to how much marijuana members use. Geir Moulson, Quartz, 23 Feb. 2024 By refusing to enforce sanctions put in place to deny Iran the financial wherewithal to fund terror groups like Hamas, Biden made the Oct. 7 attack more likely, an attack that saw Hamas kill more than 1,300 Israelis in ways that stagger the mind. Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 27 Jan. 2024 Congress in November averted a government shutdown with a measure that staggered federal funding on two deadlines. Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 16 Jan. 2024 Yet both men are played by BJJ, who staggers around receiving his own blows like a cartoon character. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024 As good as Hollander is, the structure periodically staggers under an eight-part narrative that dizzyingly flits around in time and indulges in flights of fancy like having Capote commune with his dead mother (Jessica Lange, by now a mainstay of Murphy’s repertory company). Brian Lowry, CNN, 31 Jan. 2024 McIntyre said, alluding to a breathtaking, weaving, 49-yard, game-winning jaunt in 1988 that included Young staggering across the goal line. USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024
Noun
Still, the numbers on either side of the conflict stagger. Steven Erlanger, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2023 Jackson made up the stagger around the curb quickly and proceeded to sprint away from the competition in a dominant 200-meter performance. Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY, 28 Aug. 2023 The migrants who do stagger in often have slashes from the razor wire and are confused over the shifting policy changes. Rick Jervis, USA TODAY, 17 July 2023 Internal 45 with Side Stretch From your internal stagger position, drop the hand weights and stretch your back leg. Stefani Sassos, Ms, Rdn, Cso, Cdn, Nasm-Cpt, Good Housekeeping, 22 July 2021 Union Gospel Mission, like other organizations, has pivoted in the pandemic to add extra cleanings, require COVID tests, stagger dining times to maintain social distancing, reduce child care spots and separate groups of people in the emergency shelter. Kelly Smith, Star Tribune, 6 Oct. 2020 Stir in a trip to last season’s NLCS after knocking off the Mets and Dodgers, a pair of 100-game winners, and the scale and scope of the franchise’s fresh reality staggers. Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2023 To stagger, roll or tip abruptly. Celia Storey, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2022 Champions stagger and turrets crumble. Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2022
Adjective
For best coverage, stagger sandbags in an overlapping pattern like brickwork. Check around windows and doors. Debbie Arrington, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2024 Shane McGowan’s torrid and mighty voice is mud and roses punched out with swaggering stagger, ancient longing that is blasted all to hell. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 4 Dec. 2023 Like postgame tailgates, that would help stagger departures. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2023 The final Phoenix ability, for examples, burns nearby foes multiple times and restores Clive’s health, while one of Garuda’s abilities deals less damage and greatly reduces a foe’s stagger gauge, leaving them vulnerable to stronger attacks. Josh Broadwell, Variety, 21 June 2023 To do that, make sure your planters evenly flank the front door (if your door is in a corner, stagger planters out to the open side of the door), creating a funnel towards it. Maggie Burch, Southern Living, 12 June 2023 The changes would reduce license application workloads and give hospitals more flexibility to stagger reapplication dates, the Wisconsin Hospitals Association told lawmakers last month. Tyler Katzenberger, Journal Sentinel, 7 June 2023 Any deep closers with something left in the tank will try to pick up the pieces as tired horses stagger home. Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, 5 May 2023 This feels very similar to the stagger system in Final Fantasy VII Remake. Michael Higham, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stagger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of earlier stacker, from Middle English stakeren, from Old Norse stakra, frequentative of staka to push; perhaps akin to Old English staca stake — more at stake

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1918, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stagger was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near stagger

Cite this Entry

“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagger. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stagger

1 of 2 verb
stag·​ger ˈstag-ər How to pronounce stagger (audio)
staggered; staggering -(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce stagger (audio)
1
: to move or cause to move unsteadily from side to side as if about to fall
2
a
: to begin to doubt and waver : become less confident
b
: to cause to doubt, waver, or hesitate : overwhelm
were staggered by the problems they had to face
3
: to place or arrange in a zigzag or alternate but regular way
staggerer noun

stagger

2 of 2 noun
1
plural : an abnormal condition of domestic animals associated with damage to the central nervous system and marked by unsteady movements and falling
2
: a reeling or unsteady gait or stance

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