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
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Recent Examples of stagger
Over three million Floridians—comprising about 14% of the state population—were plunged into darkness, scrambling for food and water while the economy staggered under another preventable blow.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
The chairman’s four-year term is intentionally staggered against the president’s term so that a single chairman advises two presidents.
—Dwight Stirling, The Conversation, 4 Mar. 2025
He was staggered during a 10-game losing streak that saw the Bears fire offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in Week 11 and then launch head coach Matt Eberflus 17 days later.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2025
Prosecutors presented evidence at Ford's 1999 trial showing Greg had staggered to the middle of the field after being shot; there, Ford slit his throat, almost ear-to-ear, exposing his underlying muscle tissue.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
The chairman’s four-year term is intentionally staggered against the president’s term so that a single chairman advises two presidents.
—Dwight Stirling, The Conversation, 4 Mar. 2025
He was staggered during a 10-game losing streak that saw the Bears fire offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in Week 11 and then launch head coach Matt Eberflus 17 days later.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2025
Prosecutors presented evidence at Ford's 1999 trial showing Greg had staggered to the middle of the field after being shot; there, Ford slit his throat, almost ear-to-ear, exposing his underlying muscle tissue.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger
Verb
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Paranoid – Black Sabbath If Black Sabbath was the birth of doom, Paranoid was the moment the monster lurched to its feet, six stories tall and stomping toward the future of heavy music.—
Darryn King,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
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Still, the cost is low compared with historical home prices that saw fast growth after the Great Recession then lurched further skyward during the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Nick Rosenberger,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Why do so many organizations falter in executing their strategies?—
Forrester,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
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However, the Northern Irishman’s blazing play would falter a bit, bogeying the 14th hole while Spaun birdied the 14th and 16th holes.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN,
16 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The country’s economy is tottering and reliant on IMF bailouts, while the powerful military is entrenched in every aspect of life, according to its critics.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN,
22 Feb. 2025
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If the bottom falls out of, say, the Chinese real-estate market—among the largest asset classes in the world—the entire global economy could totter.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The United States must not hesitate in ensuring that a democracy, Ukraine, does not succumb to an antidemocratic, autocratic, dictatorial and villainous Russia.—
Askold Haywas,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Mar. 2025
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Keep copies of everything, and don’t hesitate to escalate issues.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The real power of these agents emerges from their ability to weave functionalities together seamlessly.—
Egor Pushkin,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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Drone warfare has been revolutionized by the war in Ukraine, and all global militaries are looking for new ways to weave drones into their armed forces for a variety of roles, including reconnaissance and carrying out strikes.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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With Pochettino watching from the sidelines, the national team stumbled through its second lifeless loss in four days Sunday, falling to Canada 2-1 in the third place game of the CONCACAF Nations League before a tiny, mostly quiet crowd at SoFi Stadium.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2025
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Warning: Spoilers ahead for Severance Ever since Helly and Mark stumbled upon a room filled with goats in Season 1 of Severance, fans have been wondering why Lumon is raising these animals in their walls.—
Eliana Dockterman,
TIME,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The pre-teen was quickly pulled down and told to stop by his mom, who rolled her eyes and shook her head.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
20 Mar. 2025
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After a brief struggle, he was placed in handcuffs and rolled Pirie into a recovery position, according to the warrant affidavit.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But experts encourage borrowers to take at least one step to protect themselves while personnel and programs at ED get shuffled around or canceled: keep a record.—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2025
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In addition, the person said the department is expected to shuffle around senior career officials who are part of the Senior Executive Service.—
Rachel Frazin,
The Hill,
10 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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