STAGGER Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

stagger

verb

ˈsta-gər

Definition of stagger

as in to lurch

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

Relevance

as in to falter

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 stagger Logan wields unbreakable, atomically sharp adamantium claws, yet enemies feel like bloated punching bags that require mindless button-mashing to stagger. — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026 In recent years, the NFL experimented with Monday night doubleheaders, some of which were staggered apart while others aired concurrently. — Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 Shortly afterward, the man who died staggered back into view of the camera and collapsed. — Ronald J. Hansen, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2026 Cue years of staggered, steadily worsening consequences, unboxed by Strippoli with gruesome relish. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stagger

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stagger

Verb

Sometimes the wagon will lurch forward on that initial pull before settling into your walking rhythm.

— Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026
The alternative is a region that lurches from crisis to crisis, and from one extreme to another.

— DAN RESTREPO, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of lurch

Verb

Washington’s diplomatic efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine have faltered, with Moscow looking to up its defense spending next year.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
From 2019 to 2022, Solomon led an aggressive expansion of the bank’s consumer-lending business, which ultimately faltered and resulted in billions of pretax losses.

— Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of falter

Verb

Like a lot of us who tottered into consciousness in the second half of the 20th century, Les Claypool grew up with cartoons from the family television beaming into his retinas.

— Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026
Outside, a gull tottered to the window and tapped its beak against the glass.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026

Definition of totter

Verb

Much of the film plays out in close-up as Alex watches, plays, thinks, hesitates.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
But the clearest lesson from Iowa is that states that engage early and set smart terms come out ahead, while those that hesitate watch the investment head elsewhere.

— Jeff Danielson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitate

Verb

The village's pedestrian-only strip weaves through small shops, restaurants, and boutiques, and there's a Naval Museum housed in a 19th-century captain’s mansion that highlights the island’s maritime history—and is worth a visit.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
The Oilers didn’t have the same time and space to weave through traffic and choose their spots at will.

— Janson Duench, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of weave

Verb

Almost sounds silly now, with the way the team has stumbled and bumbled its way through the first four games.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Of the seven clubs that had 14 or more players from their organizations appear in the WBC, several stumbled early and only the Phillies and Brewers made the postseason.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of stumble

Verb

Ivey and his partner persuaded the Crockfords dealer to rotate the high-value cards 180 degrees before shuffling them back into the pack, citing some obscure superstition as justification.

— Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
In the midst of the rush to finish my syllabi and opening week assignments, as my husband shuffled the kids into their sneakers and Crocs and the car for one last back-to-school outing, everything stopped.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of shuffle

Browse Nearby Words

stages

stagger

staggered

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Style

“Stagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stagger. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of stagger

verb

Example Sentences

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