staggering

adjective

stag·​ger·​ing ˈsta-g(ə-)riŋ 

: so great as to cause one to stagger : astonishing, overwhelming

a staggering feat

staggering medical bills

staggeringly adverb

Synonyms of staggering

• astonishing
• amazing
• surprising
• wonderful
• miraculous
• incredible
• stunning
• sublime

Examples of staggering in a Sentence

The storm caused a staggering amount of damage.

the staggering scope of the new construction on campus

Recent Examples on the Web

France could probably field a B and C team that would reach the quarterfinals, their depth is so staggering. — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026

China’s domestic car sales may have fallen a staggering 26% compared to June of last year, but its exports are up 80%—a total of 905,000 cars. — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 9 July 2026

The sheer volume of commercial genre fiction is staggering; a report from 2025 estimated that fifty-one million romance books were sold that year, with fantasy novels moving around twenty-five million units. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 8 July 2026

Even Lionel Messi’s own wife was shaken by his staggering World Cup performance Tuesday in Atlanta against Egypt. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for staggering

• swaggering

Kids Definition

staggering

adjective

stag·​ger·​ing

: so great as to cause one to stagger : astonishing, overwhelming

a staggering achievement

staggering medical bills

staggeringly

ˈstag-(ə-)riŋ-lē

adverb