as in astonishing
causing wonder or astonishment
the staggering scope of the new construction on campus
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in wobbling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in lurching
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
2
as in faltering
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 staggering
Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
Over the past year, those bills have been staggering.
—Serena Sato, Baltimore Sun, 31 Mar. 2026
Jannelle Moore, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025
Cleaning can be an overwhelming task, so consider staggering your projects.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for staggering
Adjective
The financial incentives are staggering.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
Over the past year, those bills have been staggering.
—Serena Sato, Baltimore Sun, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
To get through the season and the playoffs, staggering the minutes of Green and Horford is logical, even with Quintin Post picking up some center minutes.
—Jannelle Moore, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025
Cleaning can be an overwhelming task, so consider staggering your projects.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for staggering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staggering
Adjective
-
Readers who approach this dense but astonishing book will laugh at how superficial that query seems in contrast to the mysteries of the universe.—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Between those bookends lies an astonishing range of human activity scratched onto broken pottery.—
Ryan Brennan
April 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That wobbling can allow Arctic air from the troposphere — or contained within the polar jet stream — to move elsewhere.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Freep.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Moving over to the balance beam, the Bruins struggled at the start, with Matthews falling and Sumanasekera wobbling.—
Anthony Solorzano,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Still, morale is much worse compared with December 2024, before DOGE took aim at the health agency's budgets and staffing, and before rounds of lurching job cuts and reinstatements left thousands of CDC workers in limbo or severed from their careers.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026
-
There are plenty of differences, but the stability Atleti have fostered in sticking with Simeone stands in stark contrast to Spurs’ habit of lurching between managers, styles and approaches.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Tatum’s injury was supposed to be a big reason the conference was so wide-open, along with the Indiana Pacers faltering because of Tyrese Haliburton’s own Achilles injury.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Now, as the conflict has shown signs of widening to other countries, including Lebanon and Bahrain, traditional safe-haven assets are showing signs of faltering.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
On the other hand, your own feelings (pleasant or otherwise) could inspire amazing artwork.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Crew has an amazing sight in store Four days later during the lunar flyby, the moon will appear to be the size of a basketball held at arm’s length.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Florida shooting guard Xavian Lee’s indecision culminated in a coast-to-coast sequence that ended in a head-scratching turnover instead of a potential game-winner.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
-
In Nett’s case, announce and then roll back announcements of a new album that’s been prone to leaks and sandbagged by indecision.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Netflix’s horror hit Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen wrapped its eight-episode run with a finale that left viewers reeling — and quietly cracked open a door for more.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Family, friends reeling from loss In a note about the tragedy, Metayer Bowen’s family reflected on her role as a daughter, aunt and friend.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Academy seems comfortable celebrating individual excellence within horror while hesitating to crown its films as definitive achievements.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Palmer is the center of the film and building the cast around her initially had Riley hesitating.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Staggering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staggering. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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