STAGGER Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

stagger

verb

ˈsta-gər

Definition of stagger

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

Relevance

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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of stagger The talent is still there, but Herbert has staggered to a dismal start. — Sam Jane, Denver Post, 9 Oct. 2026 The new board terms will be staggered, with members serving either two- or four-year terms. — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 The offshore footprint will be staggered with a limited bow in Mexico, UK and Australia and other territories like France, Netherlands, Korea and Japan going later. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026 At the heart of the resort is an 82-foot jade-green pool with rooms and eating areas staggered across the snug plot. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stagger

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger

Verb

Sometimes the wagon will lurch forward on that initial pull before settling into your walking rhythm.

— Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026
The alternative is a region that lurches from crisis to crisis, and from one extreme to another.

— DAN RESTREPO, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of lurch

Verb

This week a deal for Volta Infrastructure faltered as investors feeling full-up on data center debt demanded higher yields.

— Ellen DiMauro, semafor.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Even where efforts to build democratic institutions have faltered, as after the Arab Spring, liberal ideas have nonetheless persisted and expanded.

— Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of falter

Verb

Like a lot of us who tottered into consciousness in the second half of the 20th century, Les Claypool grew up with cartoons from the family television beaming into his retinas.

— Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026
Outside, a gull tottered to the window and tapped its beak against the glass.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026

Definition of totter

Verb

With more than seven million people packed into over 9,000 high-rises, efficiency is key here, and people will judge you for holding up lines, hesitating with your Octopus card, or lingering over your dim sum table while others are waiting.

— Lee Cobaj, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
So as facts and circumstances change, taxpayers should not hesitate to notify the IRS to avoid defaults and payment failures.

— Charles T. Almond III, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitate

Verb

With a bigger budget from Netflix, Sy and Leterrier leaned further into the show’s superhero-like qualities, expanding its universe beyond the novels of Maurice Leblanc and weaving some futuristic elements.

— Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Rubio weaves stories about heartbreak, drugs, and the slippery, occasionally hallucinatory process of finding your way back to your own life.

— Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of weave

Verb

Resendiz finished strongly, sending Mazoudier stumbling backward in the final minute.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
Munyon's Paw-Paw, an alcoholic beverage dating to the early 1900s, has been resurrected by two longtime spirits industry veterans who stumbled upon its unusual history during a family outing.

— Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of stumble

Verb

The couple and their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are reportedly living at a private, nonroyal residence in the Cotswolds, a rural area of rolling hills, villages and farms to the west of Oxford.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Generating more pressure could help the Chiefs disrupt the Chargers’ offense and help keep their unbeaten start rolling.

— Neil Nakahodo, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of roll

Verb

Offensive line shuffled up Dykes said in earlier in the week that TCU looked at everything throughout the program during the 2-3 start and would make the necessary adjustments to try and turn things around.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026
Uribe shuffled off the mound, and the crowd at American Family Field roared.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of shuffle

Browse Nearby Words

stages

stagger

staggered

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of stagger

verb

Example Sentences

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