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
Relevance
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
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 staggers
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
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
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
-
Three seconds later, the Honda crashes into a parked car with such force its tires fly off the street, the pile of cars lurches forward several feet and snow billows.—
-
As one officer reaches for the SUV's door handle, the vehicle lurches backward and then begins moving forward, rightward, seemingly away from the officers.—
Verb
-
The Broncos’ wide receivers had four drops in the first half, and BSU failed twice on fourth down when going for it, something Danielson seldom hesitates to do.—
-
In the final scene, Lee hesitates for a moment before letting Stella choose.—
Verb
-
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.—
Verb
-
Brown is likely a lock unless his usual consistency falters in the long program on Saturday.—
-
Even when Cregger holds his mythology deceptively close to the chest, the emotional intrigue never falters in the wake of a mass disappearance that saw more than 30 local children disappear.—
Cite this Entry
“Staggers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staggers. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share