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
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Recent Examples of stagger
As the bullet smashed into it the animal staggered, but came right on.
—
Tom Stacer, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025
As minutes get staggered, being able to anchor a second unit and help out the starters while also on the court matters.
—Zach Harper, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
As the men fled westbound on E. 163rd St., the wounded victim staggered across the street for help at a nearby bodega.
—Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2025
The response Many Palestinians have been staggered that Trump takes it on himself to speak on their behalf.
—Lee Keath, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Tom Stacer, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025
As minutes get staggered, being able to anchor a second unit and help out the starters while also on the court matters.
—Zach Harper, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
As the men fled westbound on E. 163rd St., the wounded victim staggered across the street for help at a nearby bodega.
—Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2025
The response Many Palestinians have been staggered that Trump takes it on himself to speak on their behalf.
—Lee Keath, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger
Verb
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Onlookers often see a chaotic show—politicians exploiting controversy, celebrities minting obscure tokens, and a sector seemingly lurching from one scandal to the next.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
25 Feb. 2025
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With American soldiers still fighting in the Pacific theater, my father joined a war bond tour, lurching around the United States with some of the flag-raising soldiers to drum up financial support for what turned out to be the waning days of World War II.—
Hannah Beech,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Looking over Lake Champlain in her hometown, Ilona Maher’s boldness hasn’t faltered.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
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However, after transitioning to WWE's main roster, Black's momentum faltered, and he was ultimately released in 2021.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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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
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The suspect, age 34, tottered out from a rear holding area in an orange DOC jumpsuit that was a size or two too large for his reed-thin frame.—
Graham Rayman,
New York Daily News,
12 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
If someone pops up out of the blue, don’t hesitate to connect with them.—
Lisa Stardust,
Vogue,
26 Feb. 2025
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By removing cost as an initial hurdle, companies can cast a wider net, reaching customers who might otherwise hesitate to make a purchase.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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And that homespun feeling is woven all throughout the site in Jackson, Mississippi, where the Eudora Welty House stands.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
2 Mar. 2025
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Biophilic design is also woven into as many facets as possible to foster a connection to nature and create a restful and rejuvenating aura.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Skype won attention in the 2000s for giving people a way to talk without paying the phone company, but stumbled in the mobile era and didn’t enjoy a major resurgence during the pandemic.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 2025
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Those concerns came to a head during Biden's debate against now-President Donald Trump in June, when Biden sounded hoarse and appeared to stumble through several answers.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Whether rolling solo or joining all-women travel groups, women jet-setters are making moves, and the travel industry has taken notice.—
Tykesha Spivey Burton,
Essence,
8 Mar. 2025
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Instead, she’s made one of her most sonically challenging and uniform albums yet: a mix of Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, Prince and her Fame Monster-era self, rolled into the year’s strongest pop release yet.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Sharks shuffled their lines before the start of the third period.—
Curtis Pashelka,
The Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2025
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At the glitzy afterparty, stars shuffled through a packed room.—
Jay Stahl,
USA TODAY,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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