1
as in to lurch
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
Relevance
2
as in to falter
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
Examples 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 stagger
If Tom Thibodeau can properly stagger the minutes of the starters then 2-3 of them will always be on the floor and the lack of a bench won’t be felt as much.
—
Mikai Bruce, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024
Taleb staggered El Hazoume with a combination, which forced his foe to the fence.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Irvine switched from at-large to district council elections this year, prompting this unique two-year term to help get the races staggered going forward.
—Jonathan Horwitz, Orange County Register, 19 Nov. 2024
The 49ers staggered into their week off with three straight losses with Shanahan saying his team looked tired.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stagger 
Mikai Bruce, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024
Taleb staggered El Hazoume with a combination, which forced his foe to the fence.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Irvine switched from at-large to district council elections this year, prompting this unique two-year term to help get the races staggered going forward.
—Jonathan Horwitz, Orange County Register, 19 Nov. 2024
The 49ers staggered into their week off with three straight losses with Shanahan saying his team looked tired.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stagger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger
Verb
-
The crew called the lead flight attendant onboard, but within a few seconds, the airplane lurched.Alexandra Skores, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
-
In the end, UnitedHealth paid a bitcoin ransom worth some twenty-two million dollars, and the system lurched back online.Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Lindner also spoke ahead of Monday's vote, and blamed the coalition's downfall on its inability to come up with solutions to boost the country's faltering economy, which in turn alienated voters.H.J. Mai, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024
-
As the defense has faltered against better opponents, the offense has regressed, as well.Daniel Popper, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
European auto sales charts are filled with red ink as economies totter but a rare positive story surrounds Toyota’s premium subsidy Lexus, which will be helped by its newest electric vehicle, the RZ 300e.Neil Winton, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
-
America was full of hope, tottering hastily toward a technological age filled with grand expectations for the future.Ruby Thélot, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
On 12 Pell’s lively social media accounts, the young, predominantly Asian American barbers don’t hesitate to offer advice to teens and men of all ages and ethnicities with humor, quips and confidence.Deepti Hajela, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024
-
The challenge winner did not hesitate in telling the group of her decision, which was that Sam and Teeny would square off at fire and have an opportunity to fight for a chance to lose to Rachel at the end.Dalton Ross, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Its sophomore outing lacked the original's surreal magic, but S3 was a solid return to form, mixing elements of noir and procedural drama to weave a haunting tale of fractured time and memory.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024
-
Even in seemingly simple products, like his candle collections and eyewear, Armani weaves magic, demonstrating his dedication to purposeful and intentional design.Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
While overzealous forecasting tells part of the digital health story this year, there were some notable stumbles at particular companies.Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024
-
The inquiry into their use came during a 2023 dispute between the city and the Crane Boulevard Safety Coalition, which stumbled on the disappearing messages after the city approved the construction of a home in Mount Washington.Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Montana threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns, and Roger Craig (who belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame IMHO) scored two touchdowns, as the 49ers rolled, 38-16, in Super Bowl 19.Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
-
After a few minutes of setting up their pieces, each player took turns deciding their moves and rolling die to determine how effective each attack was.Desirae Sin, Hartford Courant, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
House Republicans on Thursday shuffled in and out of Speaker Mike Johnson's office as the clock ticked toward the shutdown deadline.Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
-
On the next spread, the characters are shuffled around, and you are asked to once again identify the row your character is in and follow the instructions to a specific page and figure.Megan Gambino, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near stagger
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share