staggering 1 of 3

adjective

ˈsta-g(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce staggering (audio)
Definition of staggeringnext
as in astonishing
causing wonder or astonishment the staggering scope of the new construction on campus

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

staggering

2 of 3

noun

as in wobbling

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Dissimilar Words

staggering

3 of 3

verb

present participle of stagger
1
as in lurching
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 faltering
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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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 staggering
Adjective
For 2025, the Dodgers had a Luxury Tax payroll of $417,341,608 compared to just $86,926,975, a staggering gap of $330,414,633. — Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Since the start of June, the Giants have tumbled to that point a staggering seven times. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
Verb
As the Transit officers descended down to the 4/5/6 platform, one of Griffin’s victims came staggering up the stairs, seeking medial attention, Tisch said. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026 Instead of staggering the fests and conferences over nine or 11 days, everything is now crammed into the same seven-day period, including film and TV, education, comedy and tech. — Thor Christensen, Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for staggering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staggering
  1. astonishing
  2. wobbling
  3. lurching
  4. faltering
  5. amazing
  6. indecision
  7. reeling
  8. hesitating
Adjective
  • Their defensive commitment was astonishing, compact and aggressive in a 5-4-1 shape throughout, limiting the overwhelming tournament favourites to pot-shots for over an hour.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • Laptop Deal The HP OmniBook 3 redefines long-haul productivity by delivering an astonishing 32 hours and 15 minutes of operating on a single charge.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 3 July 2026
Definition of astonishing
Noun
  • During testing, the creator found that the stock connection caused excessive wobbling while driving, leading to the development of a custom dual-rod mechanism designed to stabilize head movement.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 22 May 2026
  • Losers often exit the octagon wobbling, smiling, fogged, concussed.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
Definition of wobbling
Verb
  • The same boom-and-bust dependency on the oil industry, whose profits were now funnelled through the regime and its allies, kept the country lurching from one crisis to the next.
    — Armando Ledezma, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
  • The old guard of the Democratic Party suffered another body blow when three socialist congressional candidates in New York with anti-Israel platforms swept to victory, lurching the party even further to the left.
    — Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 25 June 2026
Definition of lurching
Verb
  • Chris Jung | Nurphoto | Getty Images Shares of Nvidia have been faltering recently — and Kalshi traders predict that what the company can charge for chips is also declining.
    — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 22 June 2026
  • After faltering in last year’s Div.
    — Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
Definition of faltering
Adjective
  • So learn to love it and use it to help people to see the constraint as something amazing and beneficial like free filtering, a gift of what not to do, or even a head start, not a smaller box to play in.
    — Nir Bashan, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • Networking is an amazing way to connect you with people in your professional field and to give you insight into your career trajectory, Libra.
    — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of amazing
Noun
  • The gratuitous act obliterates both his self-image and his indecision, sparking not just a split with Irène but a total rupture with the social fabric of his present life.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
  • Changing an opinion without evidence may be indecision, but changing it because the facts, valuation, or probability of success have shifted is discipline.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of indecision
Verb
  • In 2008, reeling from the global financial crisis, the British government formally recognized Tibet as part of China—surrendering over a century of support for Tibetan autonomy.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 July 2026
  • The Democratic Party is reeling after new allegations against Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner.
    — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 7 July 2026
Definition of reeling
Verb
  • The book does often feel like a recording of a mental jam session, but there is also a sense of being guided by a kind of hesitating yet urgent voice that needs to get things figured out.
    — Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
  • While their rivals started spending significant sums of money as soon as the 2024-25 season finished, Spurs wasted a couple of weeks hesitating about the long-term future of then head coach Ange Postecoglou before replacing him with Thomas Frank.
    — David Ornstein, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Definition of hesitating

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Cite this Entry

“Staggering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staggering. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on staggering

Nglish: Translation of staggering for Spanish Speakers

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