English Meaning & Definitions
To walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall.
- “He managed to stagger to his feet after the heavy blow.”
- “The injured player staggered off the field with the help of the trainers.”
To shock or deeply astonish someone.
- “I was staggered by the sheer scale of the destruction.”
- “The news of her sudden resignation staggered the entire department.”
To arrange things in a series of alternating or overlapping positions or times.
- “The company decided to stagger the lunch breaks so that the office was never empty.”
- “We staggered the start times of the marathon to prevent overcrowding.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “stagger”.
Derived from the Middle English 'stakeren', which originated from the Old Norse 'stakra' (to push, totter). It is related to the Old English 'stæger' (stair), implying a movement that mimics the unsteady action of climbing or descending uneven steps.
Think of a 'stag' (deer) that has been hit by a car; it will 'stagger' across the road.
Frequently Asked Questions About “stagger”
1. What is the meaning of “stagger” in English?
In English, stagger (verb) is defined as: “To walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall.”.
2. How do you use “stagger” in a sentence?
“He managed to stagger to his feet after the heavy blow.”
3. What are English synonyms of “stagger”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “stagger”?
Derived from the Middle English 'stakeren', which originated from the Old Norse 'stakra' (to push, totter). It is related to the Old English 'stæger' (stair), implying a movement that mimics the unsteady action of climbing or descending uneven steps.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.