staggered; staggering
ˈsta-g(ə-)riŋ 
1
a
: to reel from side to side : totter
b
: to move on unsteadily
staggered toward the door
2
: to waver in purpose or action : hesitate
3
: to rock violently
the ship staggered
1
: to cause to doubt or hesitate : perplex
2
: to cause to reel or totter
3
: to arrange in any of various zigzags, alternations, or overlappings of position or time
stagger work shifts
stagger teeth on a cutter
1
staggers plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: an abnormal condition of domestic animals associated with damage to the central nervous system and marked by incoordination and a reeling unsteady gait
2
: a reeling or unsteady gait or stance
3
: an arrangement in which the leading edge of the upper wing of a biplane is advanced over that of the lower
: marked by an alternating or overlapping pattern
Synonyms
Examples of stagger in a Sentence
Verb
She staggered over to the sofa.
A hard slap on the back staggered him.
It staggers me to see how much money they've spent on this project.
They staggered the runners' starting positions.
Noun
He walked with a slight stagger.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
But the job losses were staggering during the longest economic slump since World War II, contributing to an uptick then in auto loan delinquencies.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 29 Feb. 2024
Hernandez staggered out of the room, collapsed in front of Cole’s parents’ bedroom and died.
—Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2024
According to the beer garden’s website, the hunt is staggered based on age.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 28 Mar. 2024
In March, Johnson ordered the first national lockdown, caught COVID, and later spent three nights in the I.C.U. For months, the country staggered from one set of restrictions to the next—a reflection of Johnson’s inconstant attitude toward the virus.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
Three days of voting, staggered across 11 time zones and a vast stretch of the Earth, could only lead to one outcome: An emphatic reelection victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
The central explanation for the Golden State’s black hole is the poor showing by the teams in the Pac-12:
— Stanford staggered to another mediocre season (and fired coach Jerod Haase on Thursday night).
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024
Also, the new wall will be staggered, with breaks in places to allow access to the beach.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2024
Still, the numbers on either side of the conflict stagger.
—Steven Erlanger, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2023
Jackson made up the stagger around the curb quickly and proceeded to sprint away from the competition in a dominant 200-meter performance.
—Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY, 28 Aug. 2023
The migrants who do stagger in often have slashes from the razor wire and are confused over the shifting policy changes.
—Rick Jervis, USA TODAY, 17 July 2023
Internal 45 with Side Stretch From your internal stagger position, drop the hand weights and stretch your back leg.
—Stefani Sassos, Ms, Rdn, Cso, Cdn, Nasm-Cpt, Good Housekeeping, 22 July 2021
Union Gospel Mission, like other organizations, has pivoted in the pandemic to add extra cleanings, require COVID tests, stagger dining times to maintain social distancing, reduce child care spots and separate groups of people in the emergency shelter.
—Kelly Smith, Star Tribune, 6 Oct. 2020
Stir in a trip to last season’s NLCS after knocking off the Mets and Dodgers, a pair of 100-game winners, and the scale and scope of the franchise’s fresh reality staggers.
—Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2023
To stagger, roll or tip abruptly.
—Celia Storey, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2022
Debbie Arrington, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2024
Shane McGowan’s torrid and mighty voice is mud and roses punched out with swaggering stagger, ancient longing that is blasted all to hell.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 4 Dec. 2023
Like postgame tailgates, that would help stagger departures.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2023
The final Phoenix ability, for examples, burns nearby foes multiple times and restores Clive’s health, while one of Garuda’s abilities deals less damage and greatly reduces a foe’s stagger gauge, leaving them vulnerable to stronger attacks.
—Josh Broadwell, Variety, 21 June 2023
To do that, make sure your planters evenly flank the front door (if your door is in a corner, stagger planters out to the open side of the door), creating a funnel towards it.
—Maggie Burch, Southern Living, 12 June 2023
The changes would reduce license application workloads and give hospitals more flexibility to stagger reapplication dates, the Wisconsin Hospitals Association told lawmakers last month.
—Tyler Katzenberger, Journal Sentinel, 7 June 2023
Any deep closers with something left in the tank will try to pick up the pieces as tired horses stagger home.
—Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, 5 May 2023
This feels very similar to the stagger system in Final Fantasy VII Remake.
—Michael Higham, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2023
Verb
The detective comes looking for her, staggering desperately among the sharp black rocks on the sand, searching as the tide eddies and rushes, iridescent and churning, the light slowly vanishing from the pastel gradient of the sky.
—Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
But the job losses were staggering during the longest economic slump since World War II, contributing to an uptick then in auto loan delinquencies.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 29 Feb. 2024
Hernandez staggered out of the room, collapsed in front of Cole’s parents’ bedroom and died.
—Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2024
According to the beer garden’s website, the hunt is staggered based on age.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 28 Mar. 2024
In March, Johnson ordered the first national lockdown, caught COVID, and later spent three nights in the I.C.U. For months, the country staggered from one set of restrictions to the next—a reflection of Johnson’s inconstant attitude toward the virus.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
Three days of voting, staggered across 11 time zones and a vast stretch of the Earth, could only lead to one outcome: An emphatic reelection victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
The central explanation for the Golden State’s black hole is the poor showing by the teams in the Pac-12:
— Stanford staggered to another mediocre season (and fired coach Jerod Haase on Thursday night).
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024
Also, the new wall will be staggered, with breaks in places to allow access to the beach.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024
Noun
Jordan Hawkins buried the biggest shot of the game as San Diego State cut UConn's lead from 16 to 5 and had all the momentum -- a big time 3 running off a double stagger.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2024
Still, the numbers on either side of the conflict stagger.
—Steven Erlanger, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2023
Jackson made up the stagger around the curb quickly and proceeded to sprint away from the competition in a dominant 200-meter performance.
—Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY, 28 Aug. 2023
The migrants who do stagger in often have slashes from the razor wire and are confused over the shifting policy changes.
—Rick Jervis, USA TODAY, 17 July 2023
Internal 45 with Side Stretch From your internal stagger position, drop the hand weights and stretch your back leg.
—Stefani Sassos, Ms, Rdn, Cso, Cdn, Nasm-Cpt, Good Housekeeping, 22 July 2021
Union Gospel Mission, like other organizations, has pivoted in the pandemic to add extra cleanings, require COVID tests, stagger dining times to maintain social distancing, reduce child care spots and separate groups of people in the emergency shelter.
—Kelly Smith, Star Tribune, 6 Oct. 2020
Stir in a trip to last season’s NLCS after knocking off the Mets and Dodgers, a pair of 100-game winners, and the scale and scope of the franchise’s fresh reality staggers.
—Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2023
To stagger, roll or tip abruptly.
—Celia Storey, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2022
Adjective
For best coverage, stagger sandbags in an overlapping pattern like brickwork.
Check around windows and doors.
—Debbie Arrington, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2024
Shane McGowan’s torrid and mighty voice is mud and roses punched out with swaggering stagger, ancient longing that is blasted all to hell.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 4 Dec. 2023
Like postgame tailgates, that would help stagger departures.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2023
The final Phoenix ability, for examples, burns nearby foes multiple times and restores Clive’s health, while one of Garuda’s abilities deals less damage and greatly reduces a foe’s stagger gauge, leaving them vulnerable to stronger attacks.
—Josh Broadwell, Variety, 21 June 2023
To do that, make sure your planters evenly flank the front door (if your door is in a corner, stagger planters out to the open side of the door), creating a funnel towards it.
—Maggie Burch, Southern Living, 12 June 2023
The changes would reduce license application workloads and give hospitals more flexibility to stagger reapplication dates, the Wisconsin Hospitals Association told lawmakers last month.
—Tyler Katzenberger, Journal Sentinel, 7 June 2023
Any deep closers with something left in the tank will try to pick up the pieces as tired horses stagger home.
—Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, 5 May 2023
This feels very similar to the stagger system in Final Fantasy VII Remake.
—Michael Higham, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stagger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
alteration of earlier stacker, from Middle English stakeren, from Old Norse stakra, frequentative of staka to push; perhaps akin to Old English staca stake — more at stake
First Known Use
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun
1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1918, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of stagger was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near stagger
Cite this Entry
“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagger. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
stagger
1 of 2 verb
stag·ger
ˈstag-ər
staggered; staggering
-(ə-)riŋ
1
: to move or cause to move unsteadily from side to side as if about to fall
2
a
: to begin to doubt and waver : become less confident
b
: to cause to doubt, waver, or hesitate : overwhelm
were staggered by the problems they had to face
3
: to place or arrange in a zigzag or alternate but regular way
stagger
2 of 2 noun1
plural
: an abnormal condition of domestic animals associated with damage to the central nervous system and marked by unsteady movements and falling
2
: a reeling or unsteady gait or stance
More from Merriam-Webster on stagger
Nglish: Translation of stagger for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of stagger for Arabic Speakers
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