Definition of stagger - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
unsteady walkintr. walk or move unsteadily as if about to fallintr.
- He began to stagger after the long night.
2.
shockintr. be shocked or overwhelmedintr.
- The news staggered everyone in the room.
3.
cause unsteadinesstr. cause someone to move unsteadilytr.
- The heavy blow staggered him.
4.
scheduletr. US arrange events at different timestr. US
- They decided to stagger the start times for the race.
Noun
1.
walkingunsteady movement as if about to fall
- He walked with a noticeable stagger after the long hike.
2.
emotionstate of confusion or bewilderment
- She was in a stagger after hearing the unexpected news.
3.
time managementspacing out actions over time
- The project had a stagger to manage resources efficiently.
4.
motor racingTECH. US difference in tire circumference in racingTECH. US
- The car's stagger helped it turn better on the track.
5.
animal diseaseTECH. disease causing unsteady gait in animalsTECH.
- The horse was diagnosed with stagger after showing symptoms.
6.
aviationDated horizontal wing positioning in biplanesDated
- The stagger of the biplane's wings improved its aerodynamics.
Images of stagger

horizontal wing positioning in biplanes
Expressions with stagger
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struggle to move or cope because a heavy burden is too much
The small company continues to stagger under the weight of its debts.
struggle to carry a heavy load
He staggered under the burden of the heavy boxes.
struggle to cope with a difficult situation
She staggered under the load of her responsibilities.
arrange deliveries at different times to avoid overlap
The company decided to stagger delivery to manage resources.
headline with the top line flush left
The newspaper used a stagger head for the main story.
difference in tyre size for better cornering
The car's tyre stagger improved its performance on the track.
Origin of stagger
Middle English, staggeren (to sway)
Terms with stagger included in their meaning
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physical impact
powerful hit causing someone to stagger
Examples of stagger in a sentence
The injured man tried to stagger to his feet. The unexpected offer staggered him. Her sudden resignation staggered the team. The sudden wave staggered the swimmer. The explosion staggered several workers. They stagger the meetings to avoid overlap.
The manager staggered the shifts for efficiency. A slight stagger betrayed his exhaustion. Her stagger across the icy path worried us. His mind was in a stagger after the revelation. The sudden change left everyone in a stagger. The stagger in the schedule allowed for breaks. A stagger was necessary to avoid overlap in tasks. Adjusting the stagger improved the vehicle's performance. The team focused on optimizing the stagger for better handling. The farmer noticed stagger in several sheep. Stagger was spreading quickly among the cattle. The engineer adjusted the stagger for better lift. The pilot noted the stagger during pre-flight checks.
View all translations of stagger
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:tituber, titubement, ...
- German:taumeln, Taumeln, ...
- Italian:vacillare, barcollamento, ...
- Spanish:dar tumbos, tambaleo, ...
- Portuguese:cambalear, cambaleio, ...
- Chinese:蹒跚, 踉跄, ...
- Japanese:よろめく, よろめき, ...
- Arabic:تَرَنَّحَ, تَرَنُّح, ...
- Hebrew:לְהִתְנוֹדֵד, הִילּוּךְ מִתְנוֹדֵד, ...
- Russian:шататься, шатание, ...
- Ukrainian:хитатися, хитання, ...
- Hindi:लड़खड़ाना, लड़खड़ाहट, ...
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