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
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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
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Recent Examples of staggers
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
The agency staggers payments across the month to manage the large volume of recipients.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Maybe birth rates would rebound, after a disaster or disintegration that staggers us.
—Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
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
The agency staggers payments across the month to manage the large volume of recipients.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 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
-
Despite that notable change, watching One Battle After Another is much like the experience of reading Pynchon, who lurches from high comedy to stomach-turning naturalism and punctuates plot-heavy sequences with little grace notes of character portraiture.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
24 Sep. 2025
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That film begins with charismatic bank robber Ryan Gosling in a thrilling motorcycle escape from the cops, and moves through several twists and turns, lurches forward in time, and holds Gosling at its heart as a man doing bad things for good reasons.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the final scene, Lee hesitates for a moment before letting Stella choose.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
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If the alliance hesitates, Putin will see weakness and press harder.—
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Her certainty falters as the light from the mothership dims, the last traces of the hive connection dying above them.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
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Continue reading … SHAKEY TRUCE – Israeli soldiers killed in attack as ceasefire with Hamas briefly falters and resumes.—
,
FOXNews.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Staggers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staggers. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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