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
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
Make the most of the shoulder seasons Almost all schools in England enjoy the long summer break at the same time (unlike in Scotland, which staggers its school vacation time for each region).
—Lottie Gross, AFAR Media, 29 Aug. 2025
The agency staggers payments across the month to manage the large volume of recipients.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Maybe birth rates would rebound, after a disaster or disintegration that staggers us.
—Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
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
Make the most of the shoulder seasons Almost all schools in England enjoy the long summer break at the same time (unlike in Scotland, which staggers its school vacation time for each region).
—Lottie Gross, AFAR Media, 29 Aug. 2025
The agency staggers payments across the month to manage the large volume of recipients.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Maybe birth rates would rebound, after a disaster or disintegration that staggers us.
—Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staggers
Verb
-
But as the shutdown lurches through its fifth week, and legislators direct blame at each other, food pantries across the Kansas City area are left to grapple with the fallout.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
31 Oct. 2025
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Despite that notable change, watching One Battle After Another is much like the experience of reading Pynchon, who lurches from high comedy to stomach-turning naturalism and punctuates plot-heavy sequences with little grace notes of character portraiture.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the final scene, Lee hesitates for a moment before letting Stella choose.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
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If the alliance hesitates, Putin will see weakness and press harder.—
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And when New York falters, the ripple effects are often national.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
As time passes, pressure increases, communication falters, and every decision carries the weight of potential destruction.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Staggers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staggers. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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