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
Thirty years ago a teenage boy, traveling abroad and without parents for the first time, came upon a scene of staggering destruction. — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 Amid the staggering destruction, the question of how many people are missing looms over the country. — Rafael Osío Cabrices, Time, 20 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
  • Mathieu van der Poel pulled off one of the most astonishing victories of his career on Sunday, holding off the peloton on the Champs-Élysées to win stage 21 of the Tour de France.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 July 2026
  • Kelly makes frequent cracks about the astonishing sequence of events that landed him in his current peacocking profession.
    — Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 20 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
  • 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
  • The result could be a level of indecision that the military cannot afford.
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • What appears to be burnout, indecision, frustration or declining engagement is often something deeper.
    — Jody Michael, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of indecision
Verb
  • In fact, legendary bass angler Rick Clunn won a lot of money in the early 80s reeling a Rebel Pop-R across the surface at warp speed.
    — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 23 July 2026
  • Tatsuya Imai allowed one run over six innings, Isaac Paredes clubbed a three-run homer as the Houston Astros sent the reeling Miami Marlins to their eighth straight loss with a 5-3 victory on Tuesday.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 22 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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staggering
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Cite this Entry

“Staggering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staggering. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of staggering for Spanish Speakers

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