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
Widow’s Bay has captivated viewers (and now Emmy voters, with its staggering 19 nominations) since its series debut in April. — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026 The staggering rise was set off by a better-than-expected earnings release on Thursday morning. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 31 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
  • But the most extraordinary thing on the screen is Antonio Banderas, who delivers an astonishing, devastating performance as the proprietor of the restaurant where Bourdain finds work, and on whose porch Tony ends up sleeping for the summer.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026
  • With the James Webb Space Telescope, next-generation ground observatories, and future missions on the horizon, these seven worlds are unlikely to remain the most astonishing for long.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 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
  • The boy was burly and had a remarkable strength and energy that stayed throughout his life, only faltering in the very last throes of death.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of faltering
Adjective
  • But the Orlando installation also will not have the amazing hillside setting with its valley and mountain views that the California original promises.
    — Robert Niles, Oc Register, 21 July 2026
  • Harnessing the amazing benefits AI can provide means first developing your executive decision-making skills.
    — Hanneke Antonelli, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of amazing
Noun
  • That indecision has made deals more difficult to close so far.
    — Jim Bowden, New York Times, 30 July 2026
  • Because in growing organizations, indecision is rarely neutral.
    — Nathan Mitchell, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of indecision
Verb
  • Plus, it's got an automatic reeling system to pull the tethering cable back into its body at the press of a button.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 29 July 2026
  • The Grapevine community is reeling after a 41-year-old substitute teacher and mother of two was found dead after being reported missing earlier this month.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 July 2026
Definition of reeling
Verb
  • While some may be looking for more reasons to eat cookies, many more are simply hesitating to eat salads and other fresh produce amid a multistate outbreak of cyclospora, known for that unpleasant symptom, among others.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • 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
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 3 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of staggering for Spanish Speakers

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