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
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
-
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
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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
Verb
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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
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In a topsy-turvy season where AFC faves Kansas City and Baltimore have faltered, and Jacksonville and Indianapolis have been major surprises, people still want to discount Tomlin and the Black and Gold.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 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
-
Because life—even for us jaded adults—should be for the seizing, not for hesitating in the face of fear.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
9 Oct. 2025
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Upon receiving the handoff, Pacheco hesitated for a beat before faking left, juking right and breaking a tackle on the way to his longest rush of the season — a 16-yard gain on a drive that ended in a Kansas City touchdown.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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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
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By the time the tour hit Vancouver − her last stop on the Eras Tour – the stage glittered with two flyover cameras, jib arms, rolling camera tracks along the stage and microphones aimed squarely at the crowd.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
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That case initially resulted in a half-billion-dollar penalty before a New York appellate court rolled most of it back earlier this year.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Sharks also shuffled their defense pairs for Monday’s practice, with Dmitry Orlov and Mario Ferraro forming the top line, Nick Leddy with Timothy Liljegren, and Sam Dickinson paired with John Klingberg.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
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Couples, girlfriends, and wellness aficionados were shuffling from pool to plunge, catching up, sitting close, and enjoying the experience together.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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