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
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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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of stagger
Terry staggered to the lobby and collapsed, according to court documents.
—
Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
Fed governors are appointed to staggered, 14-year terms to ensure that no single president can appoint too many.
—Christopher Rugaber, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
The events will be somewhat staggered, fueling a stretch of megatourism rather than a more concentrated period with everything happening at once.
—State House News Service, Boston Herald, 30 Aug. 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
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
Fed governors are appointed to staggered, 14-year terms to ensure that no single president can appoint too many.
—Christopher Rugaber, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
The events will be somewhat staggered, fueling a stretch of megatourism rather than a more concentrated period with everything happening at once.
—State House News Service, Boston Herald, 30 Aug. 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
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger
Verb
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To make for a more energy efficient and less nerve-racking exodus experience, once the line grows large enough, pulsing begins, wherein vehicles move in packs rather than lurch along at 5 mph.—
Denver Nicks,
Rolling Stone,
14 Sep. 2025
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The title track opens the affair by lurching and creeping forward for ten minutes with odd, off-putting lyrics.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Francis was leading from a place of unification and camaraderie where all of these boys, Stebbins included, don’t want to see each other falter and don’t want to see each other die.—
Leia Mendoza,
Variety,
13 Sep. 2025
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Deals collapse when communication falters.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As Joe Biden tottered and fell (literally as well as metaphorically), more than a few pundits compared him to Lear, a man who was ruined by age, pride, and the flattery of sycophants.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2025
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Dina Tomczak, the school’s athletic director, tottered into her office having barely slept.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
Surgery under fire When news of the donor heart came, Todurov did not hesitate.—
Ruchi Kumar,
NPR,
14 Sep. 2025
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Tran said some Republican clubs have even hesitated to ask their universities for support or security for their events.—
Hanna Kang,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Aliée Istanbul All of the hotels bordering the Bosphorus have an impressive view of the boats weaving through the river’s currents and the Asian half of Istanbul on the other side.—
Laurie Werner,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Our Top Picks for the Best Bedroom Rugs Solid rugs can bring a pop of color into your bedroom and weave in texture at the same time.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Without a strategic game plan, even the strongest efforts can stumble before crossing the finish line.—
Rohit Shrivastava,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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TikToker Callie Rose Bedford, known as @calrose5, stumbled on the vase during a shopping trip and shared what happened next in a video that has more than 7 million views.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This eliminates rolling resistance, delivering both speed and smoothness.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Sep. 2025
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The retailer has organizers for as little as $1, including clear bins, rolling utility carts, under-bed storage, and more.—
Shea Simmons,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Gakpo is deeper, and Wirtz pushes forward as the central member of Liverpool’s forward line, while Ekitike shuffles across as the left of the trio.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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Declining enrollment means the district may need to shuffle schools, students, or teachers to ensure each school is well attended, and the student-teacher ratios are well-balanced.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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