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
Or will Hardy end up having to stagger them and have Bailey come off the bench?
—
Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
On the most quotidian level, advertising commitments must be procured ahead of the 2026 MLB campaign, and while many sponsors have multiyear deals in place, the RSNs cannot afford to stagger into the coming baseball season with anything less than a 90% sell-through rate.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The purchasing will be done in phases in order to stagger the maintenance and lifetime of the vehicles.
—Patrick Damp, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Layoffs will be staggered through the site’s closure on April 29.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
On the most quotidian level, advertising commitments must be procured ahead of the 2026 MLB campaign, and while many sponsors have multiyear deals in place, the RSNs cannot afford to stagger into the coming baseball season with anything less than a 90% sell-through rate.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The purchasing will be done in phases in order to stagger the maintenance and lifetime of the vehicles.
—Patrick Damp, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Layoffs will be staggered through the site’s closure on April 29.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger
Verb
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When, at my photographer’s request, the president approaches the window of his office to open the blinds, his bodyguard lurches forward to close them.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
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The big polar bear lurched forward, hitting top speed in two strides.—
Scott Haugen,
Outdoor Life,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But in his first appearances on Olympic ice, Malinin showed some fallibility and faltered in the short program of the team event, finishing behind Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama.—
Alice Park,
Time,
14 Feb. 2026
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Trying to hold all of that in, trying to be the one who never falters is not sustainable.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Now, even that tiny effort is tottering.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Now, even that tiny effort is tottering.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Asked during a keynote appearance at Berlin’s European Film Market whether such a deal would be good for the film business, Ford didn’t hesitate.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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Glenn and his friends were asked to meet some girls, and the teens didn’t hesitate.—
Yolanda Harris,
AJC.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And the desk chairs weave a story of Nevis, adorned with nods to its lush flora and playful green vervet monkeys, the iconic ambassadors of the island.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
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The plot weaves together elements of romance, family drama and feminist struggle against the backdrop of a space walk gone terribly awry.—
Brianne Kane,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Jaelin Kauff is easily through after her quarterfinal opponent Anastassiya Gordodko stumbles.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
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Gold-medal favorite figure skater Ilia Malinin stumbled to eighth in stunning fashion, citing the pressure of his first Olympics.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But the movie’s artful direction, nimble structure, visual richness and impeccable performances make for something full-bodied, compelling and deeply affecting, its melancholy beauty lingering long after the end credits roll.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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That rolling emergency declaration enabled more than $573 million to be spent on immigration enforcement from the account since 2023, including $405 million in just the past six months tied to pop-up detention centers, private jet costs and restaurant bills.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That left the Broncos with no option but to grab their bags and shuffle along the final icy stretch before reaching the safety of indoors.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
19 Feb. 2026
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To use Smith at the top of the lineup would likely require the Rangers to shuffle the leadoff hitter against lefties, thus creating more moving parts.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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