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 Chiefs staggered throughout the campaign and looked like a husk of their usual, dominant selves.
—
Tim Graham, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Indiana has staggered statewide elections, so Bray is not up for reelection until 2028, but his leadership position could be in jeopardy with the results of Tuesday's election.
—Caroline Linton, CBS News, 6 May 2026
By the time the Magic staggered into Detroit for Game 7 on Sunday afternoon, the outcome felt less like a question and more like an inevitability.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hand and small heads.
—ABC News, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Tim Graham, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Indiana has staggered statewide elections, so Bray is not up for reelection until 2028, but his leadership position could be in jeopardy with the results of Tuesday's election.
—Caroline Linton, CBS News, 6 May 2026
By the time the Magic staggered into Detroit for Game 7 on Sunday afternoon, the outcome felt less like a question and more like an inevitability.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hand and small heads.
—ABC News, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger
Verb
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The energy crisis has only amplified that business case as fuel prices lurch.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
29 May 2026
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Instead of thoughtful, adaptive action, characters lurch between hesitation and reckless decisions, with catastrophic results.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2026
Verb
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After faltering in last year’s Div.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
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The Broncos faltered in the snow, the Nuggets floundered on the hardwood, and now the Avalanche fail on ice.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Models are tottering on the cobblestoned Bond Street with their heels getting stuck in the rivets.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
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Now, even that tiny effort is tottering.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But at the last second, Pages pulled up to let Tucker make the catch, and Tucker hesitated before flailing after it.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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While their rivals started spending significant sums of money as soon as the 2024-25 season finished, Spurs wasted a couple of weeks hesitating about the long-term future of then head coach Ange Postecoglou before replacing him with Thomas Frank.—
David Ornstein,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
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That vision came to life during the festival that followed the walk; attendees danced to live music and children weaved through the crowd waving pride flags.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
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Lawmakers can also find ways to weave their policies into other bills that may not bear their names.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
Verb
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The first robot stumbles on aluminum debris, its wheels furiously trying to get traction and move around the obstacle.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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Traveling even to a different Strip hotel could be bewildering, so tourists worn out by a day of wandering, people-watching and drinking didn’t seem to mind mediocre restaurants, content to stumble off to bed after a few turns at the tables.—
Winston Ross,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Verb
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The fifth robot is less effective, rolling onto its side in a trench, and the sixth intercepted by the Russians.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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Why Tomato Leaves Curl Leaves on a tomato plant that roll downward or curl inward indicate there may be a problem with the plant.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Verb
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While many of the brand’s lifestyle models are frequently shuffled in and out of production, the 9060 has held on as a staple of the brand’s lineup nearly four years after its retail debut.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
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He then was shuffled between immigration centers in California, Arizona and Louisiana — before landing in Equatorial Guinea almost six months ago.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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