staggering

adjective

stag·​ger·​ing ˈsta-g(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce staggering (audio)
Synonyms of staggering
: so great as to cause one to stagger : astonishing, overwhelming
a staggering feat
staggering medical bills
staggeringly adverb

Synonyms of staggering

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of staggering in a Sentence

The storm caused a staggering amount of damage. the staggering scope of the new construction on campus
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But just as staggering was one of the overnight lows, which dipped to only a searing 97 degrees F (36 degrees C)—a tie for the hottest low that the city’s ever seen, a record first set just three years ago. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 30 July 2026 Americans have been packing up and leaving in staggering numbers. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 30 July 2026 The staggering figures and the rapid rise of Anthropic, which surpassed OpenAI by valuation earlier this year, have raised questions about the durability of OpenAI's business. — Ashley Capoot,kate Rooney, CNBC, 29 July 2026 Any profit made on Ndiaye would surely be offset too by the largely staggering valuations clubs are placing on players. — Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for staggering

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of staggering was in 1565

Rhymes for staggering

See All Rhymes for staggering

Browse Nearby Words

stagger grass
staggering
staggering bob
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Staggering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/staggering. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

staggering

adjective
stag·​ger·​ing
: so great as to cause one to stagger : astonishing, overwhelming
a staggering achievement
staggering medical bills
staggeringly
ˈstag-(ə-)riŋ-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on staggering

Nglish: Translation of staggering for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All