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
Relevance
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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stagger
But as the smoke drifted clear, the soldiers got up and staggered into the trees.
—
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 7 Oct. 2025
Hothead follows, and, when the lawyer staggers out to take a leak, Hothead shoves a gardening fork through his neck.
—Jo Livingstone, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Additional departure dates are staggered throughout July and August.
—Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025
To manage the vast number of recipients, payments are staggered throughout the month, with schedules determined primarily by beneficiaries’ birth dates.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 7 Oct. 2025
Hothead follows, and, when the lawyer staggers out to take a leak, Hothead shoves a gardening fork through his neck.
—Jo Livingstone, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Additional departure dates are staggered throughout July and August.
—Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025
To manage the vast number of recipients, payments are staggered throughout the month, with schedules determined primarily by beneficiaries’ birth dates.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger
Verb
-
The mood is lurching between calm and doom-mongering chaos.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Hollywood lurched into a fresh wave of existential panic this week after Deadline, notating an otherwise dry industry panel on Saturday, September 27, seized on a stray remark.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The industry also plans to mix hydrogen into its existing gas utility pipeline network, but those efforts have faltered amid local opposition.—
NPR,
NPR,
13 Oct. 2025
-
There has been optimism at times with this Cowboys team powered by the top offense in the NFL, but the defense continues to falter at the worst moments at crucial points in close games.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This is a universe in which towers totter above precipices, cellars drip hollowly and women wear impossible dresses in the snow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
-
On the floor, waist-high piles of books tottered like miniature leaning towers of Pisa. My father has always been an avid learner and reader.—
The Christian Science Monitor,
Christian Science Monitor,
12 June 2025
Verb
-
Some affirm its position; some hesitate to award it the stamp.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Oct. 2025
-
With so many convenient destinations to choose from, there really is no reason to hesitate to put a Northern Lights trip on your calendar.—
Lydia Price,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Gregerson’s shows her at the peak of her signature tercets, weaving together the microscopic and the grand threads of science, art, and history into wonderfully rich sonic landscapes.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Following Black generational farmers in the American South, Seeds weaves intimate moments into a poetic tribute to legacy, land, and the enduring ties that bind family and community.—
Beatrice Verhoeven,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Things do get more interesting when Mia stumbles upon an improbable house in the middle of the woods, occupied by a witchy old lady (Robin Bartlett).—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
-
With upsets keeping divisional races entertaining, Week 6 offers a chance for several surprise teams to solidify their place among the contenders, and for stumbling powerhouses to stop their slides before things get out of hand.—
J.J. Bailey,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Reviewers recommend rolling the waistband to adjust the fit as needed.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Instead, the Broncos roll into Week 8 alone atop the AFC West for the first time since Week 4 of the 2016 season.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The doctor grunted, shuffled off.—
Sam Lipsyte,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Mazzulla could shuffle his starting five from game to game, too, based on matchups and other factors.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share