staggering

stag·ger·ing | \ ˈsta-g(ə-)riŋ

How to pronounce staggering (audio)

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Definition of staggering

: so great as to cause one to stagger : astonishing, overwhelming a staggering feat staggering medical bills

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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 22-year-old amassed her staggering pre-tax total through a combination of prize money and endorsements, raking in $1.4 million more than Serena Williams over the last 12 months. — Ben Church, CNN, "Naomi Osaka becomes highest-paid female athlete in history after earning $37 million last year," 22 May 2020 The trucking industry hauls a staggering two-thirds of all freight in the country, moving 10 billion tons of food, toiletries, online purchases and construction materials. — USA Today, "When businesses shut down, truckers lost work, risked their health to keep America open," 22 May 2020 Those staggering audience figures, though, slammed home this reality: The basketball public was not looking for another Burns-ian documentary. — Marc Stein, New York Times, "Meeting the Michael Jordan We Didn’t Know," 20 May 2020 Organizations that do plan on in-person activities are taking a number of safety precautions, including limiting class sizes to maintain social distance, staggering arrival times for sessions and requiring face masks in common areas. — Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "From cancellations to virtual offerings to smaller class sizes, day camp in Milwaukee will be different this summer," 19 May 2020 And that staggering figure was compiled with the assumption that the state’s stay-at-home order would be lifted by June 1. — Breanna Edwards, Essence, "California Could See $6.7 Billion In Losses Over 2 Years Due To Coronavirus," 26 Apr. 2020 Such staggering figures have turned conventional wisdom on its head. — Benjamin Storrow, Scientific American, "5 Ways the Economic Upheaval of Coronavirus May Impact CO2 Emissions," 6 Apr. 2020 His current contract paid him $15 million a year, a staggering figure for an hourlong newscast that aired in the middle of the day. — Author: Stephen Battaglio, Anchorage Daily News, "Shepard Smith, known as a nonpartisan voice, is leaving Fox News," 12 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'staggering.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near staggering

staggered stance

Statistics for staggering

Last Updated

26 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Staggering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/staggering. Accessed 3 Jun. 2020.

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