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View synonyms for

stagger

[ stag-er ]

verb (used without object)

  1. to walk, move, or stand unsteadily.
  2. to falter or begin to give way, as in an argument or fight.
  3. to waver or begin to doubt, as in purpose or opinion; hesitate:

    After staggering momentarily, he recognized that he had to make a decision.

    Synonyms:



verb (used with object)

  1. to cause to reel, totter, or become unsteady:

    This load would stagger an elephant.

  2. to shock; render helpless with amazement or the like; astonish:

    The vastness of outer space staggers the mind.

    Synonyms: , ,

  3. to cause to waver or falter:

    The news staggered her belief in the triumph of justice.

  4. to arrange in a zigzag order or manner on either side of a center:

    The captain staggered the troops along the road.

    Synonyms: ,

  5. to arrange otherwise than at the same time, especially in a series of alternating or continually overlapping intervals:

    They planned to stagger lunch hours so that the cafeteria would not be rushed.

  6. Aeronautics. to arrange (the wings of a biplane or the like) so that the entering edge of an upper wing is either in advance of or behind that of a corresponding lower wing.

noun

  1. the act of staggering; a reeling or tottering movement or motion.
  2. a staggered order or arrangement.
  3. Aeronautics.
    1. a staggered arrangement of wings.
    2. the amount of staggering.
  4. staggers. (used with a singular verb) Veterinary Pathology.
    1. Also called blind staggers. acute selenium poisoning of livestock characterized by a staggering gait usually followed by respiratory failure and death.
    2. a condition of unknown cause, occurring in pregnant sheep, cattle, and other animals during or just following extended transport, characterized by a staggering gait and progressive paralysis.

stagger

/ ˈæɡə /

verb

  1. usually intr to walk or cause to walk unsteadily as if about to fall
  2. tr to astound or overwhelm, as with shock

    I am staggered by his ruthlessness

  3. tr to place or arrange in alternating or overlapping positions or time periods to prevent confusion or congestion

    to stagger holidays

    a staggered junction

  4. intr to falter or hesitate

    his courage staggered in the face of the battle

  5. tr to set (the wings of a biplane) so that the leading edge of one extends beyond that of the other
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act or an instance of staggering
  2. a staggered arrangement on a biplane, etc
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈٲ, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • ٲ·· noun
  • dzܳ·ٲ· verb (used with object)
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Word History and Origins

Origin of stagger1

First recorded in 1520–30; earlier stacker “to reel,” Middle English stakeren, from Old Norse stakra “to reel,” equivalent to stak(a) “to stagger” + -ra frequentative suffix
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Word History and Origins

Origin of stagger1

C13 dialect stacker , from Old Norse staka to push
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Synonym Study

Stagger, reel, totter suggest an unsteady manner of walking. To stagger is successively to lose and regain one's equilibrium and the ability to maintain one's direction: to stagger with exhaustion, a heavy load, or intoxication. To reel is to sway dizzily and be in imminent danger of falling: to reel when faint with hunger. To totter is to move in a shaky, uncertain, faltering manner and suggests the immediate likelihood of falling from weakness or feebleness: An old man tottered along with a cane.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Trump held firm as stocks plummeted following his sweeping tariffs announcement in early April, likening his staggering levies to "medicine".

From

The state’s financial outlook is dire enough that it could swing from earlier projections of a relatively neutral budget to a staggering deficit in the year ahead.

From

“It’s a staggering admission,” agreed Katie Moran, an associate professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law who specializes in bar exam preparation.

From

In all, a staggering 301 offences in India can legally cost you your life.

From

However, with 23,000 charges filed against the men, lawyers involved in the case warned that the sheer number of charges and staggering witness list could mean that the trial dragging on for years.

From

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