as in overwhelmed
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in lurched
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
2
as in hesitated
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
a daunting problem that would make even the most decisive person stagger just a bit
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Recent Examples of staggered
Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Stand facing a wall in a staggered stance with your front foot 6 to 12 inches from the wall and your back foot another 12 to 18 inches behind your front foot.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Audit and advisory staff often spend long stretches at client sites, while partners and internal teams flow through on staggered schedules.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Google services, worth 35,100 rupees per user ($396), will have a staggered roll out with early access for 18- to 25-year-old users on unlimited Jio 5G plans for for 18 months.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
Choose a variety for staggered blooming and vibrant spring color.
—Alice Cason, Mercury News, 20 Oct. 2025
In theory, Slot’s tactical out-of-possession shuffle to a staggered 4-3-3 should help Liverpool to defend on their right flank, but the ease with which Chelsea exploited the space was a culmination of weeks of warning signs.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Rounding the exterior details out is a staggered set of black M Dual-Spoke wheels— 19 inches in the front, 20 inches in the back—but gold-bronze rims are available as an option.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2025
Others have argued that while some constitutional provisions — like a burdensome governance structure and staggered elections — need amending, the cause of Haiti’s instability is not the document but the failure of politicians to enforce it.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2025
Its board of directors has six seats, with elections staggered so that half of the board turns over at a time.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
Multiple batteries can address longer gaps in energy production when their discharges are staggered.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025
Back then, Newcastle’s thin squad staggered between results, lurching from challenging the best sides in the league to befuddling losses to inferior squads.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
The document stated that the payment of the funding would be staggered and tied to different stages of the project such as the official announcement of it filming in Madrid, the start of shoot, and its premiere in a major festival.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
The 49ers, under Kyle Shanahan’s watch since 2017, traditionally have staggered through Oktoberfest, posting a 16-22 record and losing at least two October games every season except during the 2019 team’s 8-0 start.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2025
To avoid the logistical logjams that had been predicted, the rollout is being staggered.
—Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
Initially convinced that Sheri had been abducted, the two staggered onto a nearby highway and flagged down a car for help.
—Johnny Dodd, People.com, 21 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Food assistance benefits are typically loaded onto Bridge cards on staggered dates.
—Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Stand facing a wall in a staggered stance with your front foot 6 to 12 inches from the wall and your back foot another 12 to 18 inches behind your front foot.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Audit and advisory staff often spend long stretches at client sites, while partners and internal teams flow through on staggered schedules.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Google services, worth 35,100 rupees per user ($396), will have a staggered roll out with early access for 18- to 25-year-old users on unlimited Jio 5G plans for for 18 months.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
Choose a variety for staggered blooming and vibrant spring color.
—Alice Cason, Mercury News, 20 Oct. 2025
In theory, Slot’s tactical out-of-possession shuffle to a staggered 4-3-3 should help Liverpool to defend on their right flank, but the ease with which Chelsea exploited the space was a culmination of weeks of warning signs.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Rounding the exterior details out is a staggered set of black M Dual-Spoke wheels— 19 inches in the front, 20 inches in the back—but gold-bronze rims are available as an option.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2025
Others have argued that while some constitutional provisions — like a burdensome governance structure and staggered elections — need amending, the cause of Haiti’s instability is not the document but the failure of politicians to enforce it.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
Board members will serve for four years, but the inaugural board will include some two-year appointments so terms are staggered.
—Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2025
Its board of directors has six seats, with elections staggered so that half of the board turns over at a time.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
Multiple batteries can address longer gaps in energy production when their discharges are staggered.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025
Back then, Newcastle’s thin squad staggered between results, lurching from challenging the best sides in the league to befuddling losses to inferior squads.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
The document stated that the payment of the funding would be staggered and tied to different stages of the project such as the official announcement of it filming in Madrid, the start of shoot, and its premiere in a major festival.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
The 49ers, under Kyle Shanahan’s watch since 2017, traditionally have staggered through Oktoberfest, posting a 16-22 record and losing at least two October games every season except during the 2019 team’s 8-0 start.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2025
To avoid the logistical logjams that had been predicted, the rollout is being staggered.
—Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
Initially convinced that Sheri had been abducted, the two staggered onto a nearby highway and flagged down a car for help.
—Johnny Dodd, People.com, 21 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staggered
Adjective
-
With World Diabetes Day on November 14, Nick wants parents of children who are newly diagnosed not to feel alone or overwhelmed.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Pushback to this workaround has overwhelmed sweepstakes operators this year, forcing exits from key states such as New Jersey.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
When he was sacked amid boardroom disputes in September, owner Evangelos Marinakis lurched in another direction.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Instead of taking a low profile and playing down any claims to Taiwan’s independent status like his more cautious DPP predecessor Tsai Ying-wen, Lai has lurched toward formal independence with a succession of speeches making the case for Taiwanese nationhood.—
Lyle Goldstein,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The moment highlighted a shift from March, when Jeffries hesitated to endorse Schumer after a previous bipartisan funding agreement.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Many establishment Democrats hesitated or declined to endorse their party's choice for mayor, and moderate-to-conservative power brokers united behind Cuomo's third-party candidacy.—
Kyler Alvord,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Snook and Lacy, who display such sharp instincts in their best work, seem to have been directed to overact; cameras freeze on their exaggeratedly bewildered or angry or devastated expressions, putting exclamation points at the end of too many scenes.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Instead, a bewildered stranger answers the door.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Pressed to find out exactly where the show faltered, Mangan opined that perhaps the sheer amount of talent behind the camera stopped anyone from steering this Hindenburg on course.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Ultimately, Drake’s suit faltered.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The camera pans to show Drake viewing the balance with a stunned look on his face.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
28 Oct. 2025
-
When the former fed asked him how the script was proceeding, he was met with stunned silence.—
Steve Belanger,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In September, Spotify added the ability to free users search for and play specific songs, rather than being forced to head directly to shuffled playlists or albums, though users were limited to one song at a time before the app started to shuffle.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The Royals shuffled their hitting department after the 2025 season concluded.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Glasnow threw to Freeman who tagged the bemused Bichette out.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Many of the British people in the audience were left bemused.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Staggered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staggered. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
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