staggered 1 of 2

adjective

as in overwhelmed

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staggered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of stagger
1
as in lurched
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
2
as in hesitated
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 show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of staggered
Adjective
The staggered start to the campaign means that there will be La Liga fixtures played on all but one day between August 15 and 31. — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026 Madden 27 is launching with staggered access, beginning August 6 for MVP+ members. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Use a 6-cup muffin tin in a staggered pattern for better air circulation and domed tops; cool muffins upside down. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Aug. 2026 That will be followed by staggered releases of about 7% of total shares at regular intervals through October, another unlock tied to the company's third-quarter earnings and a final release after 180 days. — Yun Li, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026 Structured around 25-minute cycles with staggered start times, the platform allows audiences to enter and exit freely, with programming updated monthly across family-friendly and adult-oriented categories. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 July 2026 To avoid scrutiny, Spann and his friends sometimes sneak into outdoor shopping centers or areas downtown in smaller groups at staggered times. — Safiyah Riddle, Fortune, 25 July 2026 Dining facilities also frequently operate on staggered or limited schedules, making closures especially disruptive. — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 23 July 2026 The car’s also ride on staggered 21- and 22-inch Altanero rims and feature bronze brake calipers and black exhaust tips. — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 22 July 2026
Verb
When the chute opened, Paper Cut thrashed across the arena until, at the sound of the buzzer, Jacobson launched himself off the animal and staggered away, his chaps flapping. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 Another argument favors sacrificing the long summer break for more frequent shorter breaks staggered throughout the school year. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Aug. 2026 Now, the three still could be staggered, but that still would mean being without a definitive answer at starting shooting guard. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026 Work has already begun on various projects, which are being staggered to avoid closing the museum completely. — News Desk, Artforum, 7 Aug. 2026 The hole gently bends from right to left, with fairway bunkers staggered along both sides. — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 The political crisis has meant that legislative elections, originally scheduled for July 27, have now been staggered into three separate days over a period of two weeks. — Hasan Ali, Christian Science Monitor, 26 July 2026 The American staggered out of the gates at Royal Portrush last year to an opening 78, but played the final three rounds in a blazing 16-under-par. — Justin Ray, New York Times, 18 July 2026 Employers staggered work schedules, commuters mapped alternate routes and many residents avoided the city altogether. — Andrea Clement, AJC.com, 17 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staggered
  1. overwhelmed
  2. lurched
  3. hesitated
  4. bewildered
  5. shuffled
  6. faltered
  7. stunned
  8. rolled
Adjective
  • During trauma, the amygdala becomes highly active, processing emotions such as fear, and the hippocampus becomes overwhelmed by stress, leading to problems with memory storage.
    — Michele Patterson Ford, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026
  • But as school districts make decisions on which tools are safe and worth spending thousands or millions of dollars on, some officials feel overwhelmed by the array of choices.
    — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of overwhelmed
Verb
  • Markets have lurched up and down as oil prices shot higher because of the war with Iran.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • His car lurched forward with Miller’s arm still reaching through the window, briefly dragging the cop down the street.
    — Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of lurched
Verb
  • Incumbents hesitated, but young and diverse civic-minded men and women jumped at a chance to compete on a level playing field for state offices.
    — Elona Vaisnys, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026
  • When Kimmel hesitated when guessing Spaghetti & Meatball, Affleck and Ding called upon Ding’s trivia partner Stephen Morrison, who opted not to answer.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2026
Definition of hesitated
Adjective
  • On Douban, a popular Chinese movie-review platform, viewers piled on with mocking and bewildered comments.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • That's when Penix, who was standing nearby, pointed at him and made a bewildered face.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of bewildered
Verb
  • The old football adage about teams making their biggest improvements between their first and second games might not apply in the NFL preseason, when personnel are constantly being shuffled in and out of the action.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Canden Arciniega shuffled on the hot granite terrace on a mid-August morning, counting the names on her list.
    — Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of shuffled
Verb
  • But their turnout in Broward, the state’s last big remaining Democratic stronghold, faltered.
    — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Summary The Philadelphia Phillies' 2026 season hopes for their back-end rotation and bullpen have faltered, prompting a search for pitching upgrades.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of faltered
Adjective
  • That changes when the Munsons arrive with their house guest, cousin Diana, whose good looks leave them stunned.
    — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Motorcycle gunmen opened fire on Gastélum as stunned viewers watched online.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of stunned
Verb
  • Brigance recorded the first tackle in Super Bowl XXXV as the Ravens rolled to a 34-7 victory over the New York Giants.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Benesh and Crabb added to their lead to 13-8 with back-to-back blocks and rolled to a 21-14 win.
    — Jordan Puente, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of rolled

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stagger
staggered
staggering
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Cite this Entry

“Staggered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staggered. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on staggered

Nglish: Translation of staggered for Spanish Speakers

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