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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of stagger
The prospect of talks appeared to bolster the tentative ceasefire in the Iran war that has staggered under the weight of Israel’s bombardment of Beirut, Tehran’s continued chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and uncertainty over whether talks can find common ground.
—
Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Knueppel staggered, but didn’t fall.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
The Suns are about to stagger two screens, one from Gillespie and a second from Goodwin.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Board members’ terms are staggered so that all seven seats are not up for renewal in the same year.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Knueppel staggered, but didn’t fall.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
The Suns are about to stagger two screens, one from Gillespie and a second from Goodwin.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Board members’ terms are staggered so that all seven seats are not up for renewal in the same year.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger
Verb
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And while navigating Washington isn’t getting any easier, world leaders are starting to lurch out of a wait-and-see mode and chart their own paths to prosperity.—
Shelly Banjo,
semafor.com,
13 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile the Caliente Range — those mountains just to the west — are lurching the opposite way.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In Southern California, researchers are applying the approach to eelgrass, a type of seagrass, as traditional restoration methods falter.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
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The match was an Olympics of desperation as the Ducks broke their six-game freefall and San Jose faltered in a must-win position.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
10 Apr. 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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That’s why Jacobs coach Jamie Murray didn’t hesitate to give him a start.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
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But don’t hesitate to shop — many colors and sizes are selling quickly.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The mandolins weave intricate patterns together, in counterpoint or unison.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
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This over 1,000-mile route weaves through breathtaking Great Lakes landscapes, tracing the edge of the glacier that covered these parts over 12,000 years ago.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The show follows Nicky (Levy) and Morgan Dardano (Taylor Ortega), a pastor-and-teacher sibling duo from New Jersey who stumble into organized crime after Morgan steals a necklace from a postal store to bury with their dying grandmother.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
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When a character speaks English, an accent is employed and the manner is often a bit stumbling.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Plus, pants lie flat or roll and fit nicely in your luggage.—
Gabrielle Porcaro,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
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Amelia Price scored five goals as Newburyport rolled to a 20-5 Cape Ann League win over Triton.—
Tyler McManus,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Growing up in a military family, Vogel shuffled between the East Coast and Europe every two to three years.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
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The Bruins are shuffling off to Buffalo.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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