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

Perhaps lesser known is San Jose Jazz’s Summer Fest, which brings a staggering number of jazz, blues, reggae and other acts to indoor and outdoor stages in downtown San Jose, also Friday through Sunday. — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026

And The Mandalorian and Grogu’s worldwide $340 million box office is a staggering franchise low for live-action Star Wars films — a five-alarm fire for that franchise. — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026

And Tuesday’s earnings represented Musk’s last chance to project a positive future before Thursday’s selling event, with Musk telling investors that SpaceX could exit the year at a staggering $100 billion revenue run rate. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026

The film has earned a staggering $405 million domestically and $922 million worldwide through three weeks of release. — Zack Sharf, Variety, 5 Aug. 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