1
as in to lurch
to move forward while swaying from side to side
I was so tired last night that I just staggered upstairs to bed without eating dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to falter
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
a daunting problem that would make even the most decisive person stagger just a bit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stagger
The question staggers the mind, and can be answered by Montgomery and Fairfax counties.
—
John Tamny, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
More than 80 tornadoes had been confirmed as of Monday morning, with areas of Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois and Virginia − where two deaths were reported − staggered by some of the worst damage, AccuWeather said.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 20 May 2025
Brown, his Superman strength sapped, mustered only five points in the second quarter, as Boston staggered to just 38 points as a team.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
The rollout has taken a long time, and it’s been staggered across different models.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagger
John Tamny, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
More than 80 tornadoes had been confirmed as of Monday morning, with areas of Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois and Virginia − where two deaths were reported − staggered by some of the worst damage, AccuWeather said.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 20 May 2025
Brown, his Superman strength sapped, mustered only five points in the second quarter, as Boston staggered to just 38 points as a team.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
The rollout has taken a long time, and it’s been staggered across different models.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger
Verb
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On June 18th, the Karen Read saga finally lurched to its inevitable end, when a Norfolk County jury, assigned the unenviable task of spending spring and early summer watching corruption theater in Dedham court, acquitted Ms. Read of all the serious charges against her.—
Tom Blakely,
Boston Herald,
27 June 2025
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More to come on this one as the American media M&A space makes another lurch forwards.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
13 June 2025
Verb
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And then, if the team falters, dumping before the Aug. 31 deadline for players to be eligible for postseason rosters?—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
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In later grades, when there are no pictures or too many unfamiliar words to memorize, these readers would falter, and their reading troubles would hinder learning in other academic subjects.—
Denise Amos,
Mercury News,
18 June 2025
Verb
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As Joe Biden tottered and fell (literally as well as metaphorically), more than a few pundits compared him to Lear, a man who was ruined by age, pride, and the flattery of sycophants.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2025
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Dina Tomczak, the school’s athletic director, tottered into her office having barely slept.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
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If the emotional impact of hair loss feels overwhelming, don’t hesitate to ask for support.—
Health,
Health,
26 June 2025
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However, small businesses hesitate to seize the opportunity due to factors like limited finances, technical deficits, and lack of expertise.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
26 June 2025
Verb
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The Foundation’s long-term roadmap weaves three strands—education, technology, and policy—into a single braid of change.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
30 June 2025
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The deeper issue is the steady, often unnoticed disruption of noise woven into every part of life, at home, work, and our social environments.—
Bill Schiffmiller,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Verb
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After seven years of searching the West for the perfect place to call home, Northern California author and wellness practitioner Osha Reader stumbled upon her peaceful High Sierra retreat by chance.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
28 June 2025
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Astronomers studying a distant galaxy cluster stumbled upon ancient radio signals that might hold clues to the formation of the early universe.—
Nick Butler,
FOXNews.com,
28 June 2025
Verb
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To store indoors during winter months, first clean and dry the rug, then roll it up with the backing facing out.—
Karen Grossman,
Southern Living,
24 June 2025
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The Suns missed the playoffs this past year and will be looking to get things rolling again next season.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Nicolo Barella would often drop between Stefan de Vrij and right centre-back Matteo Darmian or pull wide outside of Urawa’s defensive block to kickstart Inter’s possession, meaning the Japanese side were comfortable shuffling from side to side with the game in front of them.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
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The latest major example of this reliable horror subgenre shuffling (or in this case running) into theaters is 28 Years Later.—
James Grebey,
Time,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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