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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of staggered
Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
In September, the council also approved raises for Denver police officers, who will receive staggered pay bumps, adding a cumulative 16% to their salaries over the next three years.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 6 Apr. 2026
The Social Security Administration (SSA) distributes payments on a staggered schedule throughout each month rather than sending them all at once.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
The staggered timing reflects banking practices, rather than differences in payroll.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
The group assembles in a staggered formation and uses hand signals to communicate road hazards and turns.
—Brenda Miranda, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
At the peak of their global dominance, the group’s members began mandatory military service in South Korea, rolling out solo projects on a staggered schedule.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 21 Mar. 2026
The force includes contingents from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Oklahoma, with units rotating in and out of the District on staggered timelines.
—Steven Beynon, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Richardson created a staggered evergreen screen of Arborvitae, hydrangea, Karl Foerster grass, and flowering accent trees.
—Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026
Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Knueppel staggered, but didn’t fall.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 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
From Ventura to Santa Barbara, gulls, pelicans, murres, and grebes staggered along beaches, unable to fly.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
The remaining four caribou scattered as the frantic cow skidded and staggered, trying to shake the clinging wolf.
—Frank Glaser, Outdoor Life, 1 Apr. 2026
Hunt times are staggered according to age groups.
—Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Apr. 2026
Plus, the Herro and Powell minutes likely will continue to be as staggered as when one started and one played in reserve, with Herro subbed out midway through Wednesday night’s first quarter.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
He looks staggered at first, then disgusted, and, finally, proud.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The board will include two members from each existing school board and three at-large members from anywhere in the county, and elections for the new board won’t begin until 2030, with full staggered terms not in place until 2032.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
In September, the council also approved raises for Denver police officers, who will receive staggered pay bumps, adding a cumulative 16% to their salaries over the next three years.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 6 Apr. 2026
The Social Security Administration (SSA) distributes payments on a staggered schedule throughout each month rather than sending them all at once.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
The staggered timing reflects banking practices, rather than differences in payroll.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
The group assembles in a staggered formation and uses hand signals to communicate road hazards and turns.
—Brenda Miranda, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
At the peak of their global dominance, the group’s members began mandatory military service in South Korea, rolling out solo projects on a staggered schedule.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 21 Mar. 2026
The force includes contingents from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Oklahoma, with units rotating in and out of the District on staggered timelines.
—Steven Beynon, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Richardson created a staggered evergreen screen of Arborvitae, hydrangea, Karl Foerster grass, and flowering accent trees.
—Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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
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
From Ventura to Santa Barbara, gulls, pelicans, murres, and grebes staggered along beaches, unable to fly.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
The remaining four caribou scattered as the frantic cow skidded and staggered, trying to shake the clinging wolf.
—Frank Glaser, Outdoor Life, 1 Apr. 2026
Hunt times are staggered according to age groups.
—Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Apr. 2026
Plus, the Herro and Powell minutes likely will continue to be as staggered as when one started and one played in reserve, with Herro subbed out midway through Wednesday night’s first quarter.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
He looks staggered at first, then disgusted, and, finally, proud.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staggered
Adjective
-
Both Castro and Fernandez also proposed similar annual membership rate changes that, while pricier than the previous rate, wouldn’t require golfers to pay for the country club and would still impose caps on complimentary rounds to reduce play at the overwhelmed golf course.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Less Decision Fatigue Around Food While some people enjoy cooking or deciding what to eat each day, others may feel overwhelmed by it.—
Caitlin Beale,
Health,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Don’t gag, don’t cry — and my stomach lurched.—
Kate Crane,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Since then, the larger culture has lurched rightward, with big corporations abandoning progressive signaling in favor of…other priorities.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Dean Kim, master baker and founder of OC Baking Company, said that Schwarz was the kind of chef who never hesitated to show up for others.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
9 Apr. 2026
-
After a dramatic Easter weekend for the war in Iran—downed American fighter jets, a daring rescue behind enemy lines, and strikes on universities and petrochemical plants—traders hesitated at Monday’s opening bell.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Connie is bewildered but happy about this.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
-
This sometimes left audience members bewildered about what had actually happened.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Their arrival comes after the team’s bullpen faltered twice in the late innings over the weekend in Cincinnati’s series sweep.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The Red Sox ace faltered early by allowing a couple of doubles, but from there the left-hander settled down and seemed to find his groove.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Summer Anne Lee, a presidential fashion historian and professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), told Newsweek at the time that Sánchez Bezos’ fashion statement on the historic day left her stunned.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The Detroit Red Wings sat on the bench, stewing in stunned silence, after their latest loss sealed their fate as a franchise relegated to watching the NHL playoffs on TV.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For weeks, Isaiah Mosley shuffled into the morning chaos of the Miami criminal courthouse.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Born from the embers of the eighties band Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, led by the singer and guitarist Amelia Fletcher, shuffled forward with her riffy, effervescent playing style, gradually growing more sophisticated across four LPs and an EP, without any loss of buoyancy.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
An utterly delectable novel set in Beirut during and after the Lebanese Civil War, about a 72-year-old translator of Western novels into Arabic, an eccentric steeped in books who shares with us her capacious literary sensibility and often bemused vision.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Giddey gave a bemused nod, then a smile.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Staggered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staggered. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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