1
as in lurches
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
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2
as in hesitates
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of staggers
Like many Florida school districts, OCPS staggers start times to most efficiently use its school buses and drivers.
—
Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
The first 10 minutes of the film are set in Norms, where a grungy man staggers in with a bomb, ranting about artificial intelligence.
—Fielding Buck, Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
Because of the program's size, the Social Security Administration (SSA) staggers payments across the month to keep the system running smoothly.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
But Roman breaks free, staggers to his feet and appears to wipe his face, apparently from pepper spray.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
The logistical feat those intrepid women accomplished staggers the mind of any contemporary author.
—Adrian Miller, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2025
For his part, Gonzalez staggers outside and falls to his knees.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2025
One way to do that is through a bond ladder, which staggers individual bonds of different maturities.
—Michelle Fox, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
Hothead follows, and, when the lawyer staggers out to take a leak, Hothead shoves a gardening fork through his neck.
—Jo Livingstone, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
The first 10 minutes of the film are set in Norms, where a grungy man staggers in with a bomb, ranting about artificial intelligence.
—Fielding Buck, Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
Because of the program's size, the Social Security Administration (SSA) staggers payments across the month to keep the system running smoothly.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
But Roman breaks free, staggers to his feet and appears to wipe his face, apparently from pepper spray.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
The logistical feat those intrepid women accomplished staggers the mind of any contemporary author.
—Adrian Miller, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2025
For his part, Gonzalez staggers outside and falls to his knees.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2025
One way to do that is through a bond ladder, which staggers individual bonds of different maturities.
—Michelle Fox, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
Hothead follows, and, when the lawyer staggers out to take a leak, Hothead shoves a gardening fork through his neck.
—Jo Livingstone, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staggers
Verb
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By the end, Noonan’s film stops feeling like a first date and starts to resemble the makings of a crime scene as his mood lurches toward something dangerous.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 May 2026
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Republicans’ hopes of holding on to their slim majorities in the House and Senate may well hinge on the cost at the pump as the war against Iran lurches into its second week.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The mother in Frederick County still hesitates.—
Natasha Dartigue,
Baltimore Sun,
16 May 2026
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His grandson, Jack Schlossberg, who is running for Congress, never hesitates to remind audiences of his lineage.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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But The Gilded Age doesn’t do pure villains with its main cast, and Oscar totters between failson and tragic figure, the closeted heir of the Van Rhijn family dragged to hell and back after being defrauded of his mother’s fortune.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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As a ceasefire with Tehran falters, Republicans joined Democrats in pressing for details on the conflict’s costs and the administration’s plan to end it.—
Noah Robertson,
Washington Post,
12 May 2026
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Overreliance on one industry makes economies betting on high-tech development vulnerable to market corrections, if AI development falters, or if worsening commodities shortages eventually hinder production of electronic components.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Staggers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staggers. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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