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 result is a heavy blow to Starmer, whose leadership has staggered through a series of crises and suffered a near-death experience earlier this month.
—
ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Starmer is in trouble The result is a heavy blow to Starmer, whose leadership has staggered through a series of crises and suffered a near-death experience earlier this month.
—Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Here, the blade tips are staggered so that a following rotor blade does not intersect the vortex generated by the one ahead of it, reducing noise and vibration.
—David Szondy
february 24, New Atlas, 24 Feb. 2026
Trotsky staggered out of the study in the other direction.
—Josh Ireland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stagger
ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Starmer is in trouble The result is a heavy blow to Starmer, whose leadership has staggered through a series of crises and suffered a near-death experience earlier this month.
—Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Here, the blade tips are staggered so that a following rotor blade does not intersect the vortex generated by the one ahead of it, reducing noise and vibration.
—David Szondy
february 24, New Atlas, 24 Feb. 2026
Trotsky staggered out of the study in the other direction.
—Josh Ireland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger
Verb
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Elsewhere in town, the original creature, played by Christian Bale, has lurched here from Austria still on his lonely quest for companionship.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
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Then, just as abruptly, the plane lurched up, slamming everyone back to the ground.—
Burkhard Bilger,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But UConn faltered in the second half, surrendering a 20-4 run and at one point going nearly eight minutes between field goals.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
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If real estate values falter in a community, the decline could imperil a crucial revenue stream from property taxes for cities, counties, regional agencies, and school districts.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 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 over twice the value of gold from just one year ago, and now investors who once hesitated to buy gold are weighing whether the opportunity has already passed — or whether the metal still has room to run.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
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Peter doesn’t hesitate to show up, but things quickly go bad.—
Oline H. Cogdill,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The story weaves between 14th-century Italy and modern-day, exploring themes of love, divinity, and obsession.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
6 Mar. 2026
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We were passed by four out-of-control Harley bikers going 80-90 mph, weaving in and out of steadily moving traffic, while illegally passing cars on the right shoulder for miles.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Spotting this superconducting dome is often a sign that researchers have stumbled onto the right ingredients for high-temperature superconductivity.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
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The man then tripped, stumbling to the ground.—
Andrew Adeolu,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Whale’s picture, the bride doesn’t talk — only screams or hisses like an irritated cat — and is brought to life 5 minutes before the credits roll.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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The back portion was also rolled, but vertically, and pinned to the back of the star's head.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Knuckles is headed to Houston as the Detroit Lions shuffle the deck on offense.—
Christian Romo,
Freep.com,
3 Mar. 2026
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What supports will schools offer to students who are emotionally impacted by this sudden disruption, especially those who have already been shuffled around multiple times?—
Randy Ribay,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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