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
Helen Freund, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
Nastro noted the shutdown comes during an elevated but staggered travel period.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 18 Feb. 2026
The staggered rollout of the new NHL/NHLPA CBA, however, has closed this avenue for the Canucks.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Carryover funding from previous fiscal years is allowing services to continue to be introduced on a staggered schedule.
—Raynee Howell, Oklahoma Watch, 9 Feb. 2026
Those points are then used to determine staggered start times for the cross-country race.
—Annika Malacinski, SELF, 6 Feb. 2026
Members of the commission will be unpaid volunteers, serving staggered three-year terms, per the city.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
These candle holders make the perfect table centerpiece; pair a medium-sized holder with a large-sized holder for a staggered display.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2026
Mitigation efforts include strategic and staggered price increases, as well as partial cost-sharing with factory partners, the analyst noted.
—Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 30 Jan. 2026
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
As Xavier—who was, rather conveniently, a licensed pilot—guided a plane out of the Colorado bunker in a quest to find her in Atlanta, viewers staggered off the Paradise ride, too confused to tell if that queasiness in the pit of our stomachs was excitement or just motion sickness.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Feb. 2026
One such combo late in the third round briefly staggered Barrios.
—ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026
Herro and Powell only played just three minutes together on Friday, as Spoelstra also staggered their minutes.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2026
But then, as now, PUSH staggered from payroll to payroll.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
The compound is oriented toward uninterrupted ranch land and the distant Santa Lucia Mountain views, with the buildings staggered to carve out smaller courts, decks and views that let relatives stay close but not crowded.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Start times are staggered to spread out participants.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
With such an ambitious undertaking, the staggered opening will help chefs and staff get their bearings, said Robert Castellon, the director of operations at Hi Hospitality Group, the restaurant group behind the project.
—Helen Freund, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
Nastro noted the shutdown comes during an elevated but staggered travel period.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 18 Feb. 2026
The staggered rollout of the new NHL/NHLPA CBA, however, has closed this avenue for the Canucks.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Carryover funding from previous fiscal years is allowing services to continue to be introduced on a staggered schedule.
—Raynee Howell, Oklahoma Watch, 9 Feb. 2026
Those points are then used to determine staggered start times for the cross-country race.
—Annika Malacinski, SELF, 6 Feb. 2026
Members of the commission will be unpaid volunteers, serving staggered three-year terms, per the city.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
These candle holders make the perfect table centerpiece; pair a medium-sized holder with a large-sized holder for a staggered display.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2026
Mitigation efforts include strategic and staggered price increases, as well as partial cost-sharing with factory partners, the analyst noted.
—Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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
As Xavier—who was, rather conveniently, a licensed pilot—guided a plane out of the Colorado bunker in a quest to find her in Atlanta, viewers staggered off the Paradise ride, too confused to tell if that queasiness in the pit of our stomachs was excitement or just motion sickness.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Feb. 2026
One such combo late in the third round briefly staggered Barrios.
—ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026
Herro and Powell only played just three minutes together on Friday, as Spoelstra also staggered their minutes.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2026
But then, as now, PUSH staggered from payroll to payroll.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
The compound is oriented toward uninterrupted ranch land and the distant Santa Lucia Mountain views, with the buildings staggered to carve out smaller courts, decks and views that let relatives stay close but not crowded.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Start times are staggered to spread out participants.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staggered
Adjective
-
Heading into 2026, top traders and forecasters had braced for a substantial oil glut as swelling production from across the Americas overwhelmed growth in demand, which has slowed down.—
Grant Smith,
Fortune,
1 Mar. 2026
-
McLean isn’t the type to get starstruck or overwhelmed.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
According to prosecutors, when other drivers honked at him, Alvardo woke up and lurched his vehicle forward, striking 70-year-old crossing guard John Miro, who was on the sidewalk at Sunrise Highway and Merrick Avenue.—
Carolyn Gusoff,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The big polar bear lurched forward, hitting top speed in two strides.—
Scott Haugen,
Outdoor Life,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Then the Canadian hesitated, ever so slightly.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Jackson hesitated — the job required him to leave the seminary six months short of graduation.—
Johanna Neuman,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Olivier tried successfully to get the reader to understand how a gentle, pacific young man could come to kill more than a thousand people, and so capturing the tone and empathetic portrayal not only of Simo Häyhä and his colleagues but also of the often-bewildered Russian soldiers was essential.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The usually positive Gauff went negative, lacked energy and seemed bewildered and overwhelmed.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Too many candidates, Biden wrote, had faltered early in the small, relatively nondiverse states that voted first (traditionally, New Hampshire and Iowa), leading them to drop out.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Aliso Niguel senior Jayden Mysin said the Wolverines faltered defensively.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The crowd erupted as Brady posed for photos, signed autographs and ripped packs alongside stunned fans.—
Andy Scholes,
CNN Money,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Bergsma was pretty stunned too.—
Howard Fendrich,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
While those votes are ongoing, expect bill language to be shuffled in and out of bills as lawmakers scramble to find homes for their priorities in the final hours.—
Kaitlin Lange,
IndyStar,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Ford has since shuffled the packages around in a 2025 consolidation that will go down as the closest thing the new Bronco received to a mid-cycle refresh.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Referee Francois Letexier showed Vinicius Jr a yellow card for his role in what happened, drawing a bemused look from the goalscorer.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Over the subsequent stories, Goodman crafts subtle investigations of the relations between siblings, the fine blend of anxiety and pride parents feel for their offspring, and the bemused affection an aunt or uncle might feel for their aimless nieces or haphazard nephews.—
Chloe Schama,
Vogue,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Staggered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staggered. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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