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

The research shows a staggering 571 percent gain in Italian leather accessories while Finnish bat and bee houses rose over 420 percent. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 23 July 2026

On behalf of everyone at Media Res, thank you to our extraordinary crew, our staggering, glittering cast, our remarkable writers, and to our partners at Apple, Hello Sunshine and Echo Films. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 23 July 2026

The delusion is painful to watch, but the greater tragedy is that his proximity to this staggering wealth insures his and Lindsay’s misery. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 July 2026

The couple subsequently spent several years and an additional $20 million creating a legacy estate that is now on the market for a staggering $65 million. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 22 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