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
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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
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Recent Examples of stagger
The planet staggered toward the most dangerous greenhouse in the fossil record.
—
Peter Brannen, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Toronto has occupied the top spot in the AL East since July 2 but staggered a bit in August, its worst month, with a 15-12 record.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The riders who stagger off of Stardust Racers have wide, shaky smiles.
—Bianca Bosker, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2025
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions boarded offshore rights on the A24 original out of the 2024 European Film Market in Berlin, and staggered overseas release from June through September this summer, cranking out strong numbers and holds along the way.
—Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Peter Brannen, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Toronto has occupied the top spot in the AL East since July 2 but staggered a bit in August, its worst month, with a 15-12 record.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The riders who stagger off of Stardust Racers have wide, shaky smiles.
—Bianca Bosker, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2025
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions boarded offshore rights on the A24 original out of the 2024 European Film Market in Berlin, and staggered overseas release from June through September this summer, cranking out strong numbers and holds along the way.
—Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger
Verb
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On Halloween of 2022, just weeks into the new school year, senior Ehni Ler Htoo was making his way through the halls of Proctor High School in Utica, New York, when a fellow student lurched at him from behind, repeatedly plunging a 9-inch hunting knife into his back.—
Tonya Simpson,
ABC News,
24 Sep. 2025
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Despite that notable change, watching One Battle After Another is much like the experience of reading Pynchon, who lurches from high comedy to stomach-turning naturalism and punctuates plot-heavy sequences with little grace notes of character portraiture.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Max Verstappen's victories in the last two Grands Prix have brought him back into the championship fight, although the 69-point gap to Piastri can only be achieved if McLaren falters on every race weekend.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
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Years later, Rick Ankiel, a Cardinals pitcher, could no longer throw strikes—yet, when he was moved to the outfield, his accuracy rarely faltered from a greater distance.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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As Joe Biden tottered and fell (literally as well as metaphorically), more than a few pundits compared him to Lear, a man who was ruined by age, pride, and the flattery of sycophants.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2025
Verb
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The Bears quarterback didn't hesitate to offer some self-criticism in his postgame remarks either.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
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Look for Maker’s Marks While at the thrift store, don’t hesitate to turn an item over to inspect it further.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Bold and deeply human, Punch is initially a bit slow on the wind up, but its stellar cast help weave together an almost unbelievable story of compassion and empathy in its second act that left many theatergoers sniffling in their seats.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Sep. 2025
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The Chamber praised the chefs’ creativity in weaving authentic Italian dishes with seasonal California flavors.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But there have been some career stumbles recently, a superhero disappointment in particular, that must have complicated Johnson’s conception of his remarkable career.—
Richard Lawson,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
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Wallen then stumbles to his feet in the middle of the road, as rain pours down, with close-up images showing Wallen in tattered clothes and covered in scrapes and cuts.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As the cases rolled through the legal system, accumulating interest and court fees, the amount that patients owed often grew by 25%.—
Rae Ellen Bichell,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
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But thank god for intimacy coordinators, the best thing to happen to a movie production since rolling lunch breaks.—
Will Bridges,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Cooper, an alum of Ralph Lauren and the former creative director of Ash NYC, plans to rotate the displays weekly, mixing in vintage furniture from his studio’s collection and shuffling the assortment so regulars will always find something new.—
Sydney Gore,
Architectural Digest,
29 Sep. 2025
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Typically, at this time, nearly 20 minutes after a game, players are shuffling in and out.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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