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
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
The next day at La Belle Helene, former competitor Jamie Lynch’s Charlotte restaurant, the chefs cook on a staggered schedule to serve their potato dishes, and almost immediately, Day and Nana are in trouble.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 8 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
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
The next day at La Belle Helene, former competitor Jamie Lynch’s Charlotte restaurant, the chefs cook on a staggered schedule to serve their potato dishes, and almost immediately, Day and Nana are in trouble.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
According to a Monday press release from the Park District, the pink blossoms are approaching stage five, and many of the white blossoms are in stages three and four, meaning blooms will be slightly staggered.
—Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 8 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
-
The water lingered for days and overwhelmed Hoboken’s sole operating flood pump.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The third, and most systemic, impact is the strain being placed on already overwhelmed reporting pipelines.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
3 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
-
This sometimes left audience members bewildered about what had actually happened.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The passenger in the back eventually looked up from her phone, noticed Louise, and locked eyes with this bewildered-looking woman blocking the crosswalk.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The right-hander — a former first-round pick by the Pirates in 2017 — missed out on his first victory with the Orioles since being acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay when Baltimore's defense faltered late.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Efforts to identify a leadership alternative inside Iran have faltered.—
Kazem Kazerounian,
Hartford Courant,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Healey, wearing her crisp white Red Sox uniform and Wu dressed in resplendent red with her Red Sox hat, looked somewhat stunned at the reaction but did not flee.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The crowd, which included Brazilian great Ronaldo, seemed stunned and deflated.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 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
-
Giddey gave a bemused nod, then a smile.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
That was John’s thing, back then, but leave it to both Beatles to have a bemused sense of class consciousness.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Staggered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staggered. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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