staggered; staggering
ˈsta-g(ə-)riŋ 
1
a
: to reel from side to side : totter
b
: to move on unsteadily
staggered toward the door
2
: to waver in purpose or action : hesitate
3
: to rock violently
the ship staggered
1
a
: to cause to doubt or hesitate : perplex
b
: shock or surprise greatly
The amount of money they've spent on this staggers me.
2
: to cause to reel or totter
3
: to arrange in any of various zigzags, alternations, or overlappings of position or time
stagger work shifts
stagger teeth on a cutter
1
staggers plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: an abnormal condition of domestic animals associated with damage to the central nervous system and marked by incoordination and a reeling unsteady gait
2
: a reeling or unsteady gait or stance
3
: an arrangement in which the leading edge of the upper wing of a biplane is advanced over that of the lower
: marked by an alternating or overlapping pattern
Examples of stagger in a Sentence
Verb
She staggered over to the sofa.
A hard slap on the back staggered him.
It staggers me to see how much money they've spent on this project.
They staggered the runners' starting positions.
Noun
He walked with a slight stagger.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025
Back then, Newcastle’s thin squad staggered between results, lurching from challenging the best sides in the league to befuddling losses to inferior squads.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
The document stated that the payment of the funding would be staggered and tied to different stages of the project such as the official announcement of it filming in Madrid, the start of shoot, and its premiere in a major festival.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
The members would have to live within a set geographic area in and around Independence and would serve staggered three-year terms, so only a few seats would ever turn over at the same time.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagger
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Verb
Multiple batteries can address longer gaps in energy production when their discharges are staggered.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025
Back then, Newcastle’s thin squad staggered between results, lurching from challenging the best sides in the league to befuddling losses to inferior squads.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
The document stated that the payment of the funding would be staggered and tied to different stages of the project such as the official announcement of it filming in Madrid, the start of shoot, and its premiere in a major festival.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
The members would have to live within a set geographic area in and around Independence and would serve staggered three-year terms, so only a few seats would ever turn over at the same time.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagger. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stagger
1 of 2 verb
stag·ger
ˈstag-ər
staggered; staggering
-(ə-)riŋ
1
: to move or cause to move unsteadily from side to side as if about to fall
2
a
: to begin to doubt and waver : become less confident
b
: to cause to doubt, waver, or hesitate : overwhelm
were staggered by the problems they had to face
3
: to place or arrange in a zigzag or alternate but regular way
stagger
2 of 2 noun1
plural
: an abnormal condition of domestic animals associated with damage to the central nervous system and marked by unsteady movements and falling
2
: a reeling or unsteady gait or stance
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