stagger
ˈstæɡə
Definition Synonyms Conjugation

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.
lurch reel totter
2.
shockintr.be shocked or overwhelmedintr.
  • The news staggered everyone in the room.
amaze astonish
3.
cause unsteadinesstr.cause someone to move unsteadilytr.
  • The heavy blow staggered him.
stumble totter wobble
4.
scheduletr.USarrange events at different timestr.US
  • They decided to stagger the start times for the race.
arrange organize schedule

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.
bewilderment confusion perplexity
3.
time managementspacing out actions over time
  • The project had a stagger to manage resources efficiently.
interval phasing spacing
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Images of stagger

  • stagger: horizontal wing positioning in biplanes
    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.

View all translations of stagger

Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
  1. French:tituber, titubement, ...
  2. German:taumeln, Taumeln, ...
  3. Italian:vacillare, barcollamento, ...
  4. Spanish:dar tumbos, tambaleo, ...
  5. Portuguese:cambalear, cambaleio, ...
  6. Chinese:蹒跚, 踉跄, ...
  7. Japanese:よろめく, よろめき, ...
  8. Arabic:تَرَنَّحَ, تَرَنُّح, ...
  9. Hebrew:לְהִתְנוֹדֵד, הִילּוּךְ מִתְנוֹדֵד, ...
  10. Russian:шататься, шатание, ...
  11. Ukrainian:хитатися, хитання, ...
  12. Hindi:लड़खड़ाना, लड़खड़ाहट, ...
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