staggering

adjective

stag·​ger·​ing ˈsta-g(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce staggering (audio)
: so great as to cause one to stagger : astonishing, overwhelming
a staggering feat
staggering medical bills
staggeringly adverb

Examples of staggering in a Sentence

The storm caused a staggering amount of damage. the staggering scope of the new construction on campus
Recent Examples on the Web The Anteaters lean on a defense that allows just 55 points per game (11th in the nation), but the Bulldogs average 81.2 (10th in the nation) and have outscored their opponents by a staggering 21.2. Staff and News Service Reports, Orange County Register, 23 Mar. 2024 Related article Scientists discover ‘staggering’ features in massive Milky Way star explosion Gaia has already helped astronomers to determine when the Milky Way experienced different merger events in the past, and future observations could unlock more insights. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 And its early success, on the back of Arm’s staggering $4.9 billion IPO late last year, means there will likely be a spike in IPOs through the middle of 2024. Laura Bratton, Quartz, 21 Mar. 2024 The list of celebrities attending Cincinnati's horror movie festival is staggering. The Enquirer, 15 Mar. 2024 The story of the Clotilda, the last slave ship to arrive on U.S. shores, gives human dimension to those staggering statistics. Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Mar. 2024 Walmart also holds the title of being the largest retail chain, not only in the United States but also globally, boasting a staggering global revenue of $611.30 billion in 2022. Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Mar. 2024 Considering the turmoil of Paul’s short reign (he was assassinated by his own officers in 1801) and the wealth the princess had accumulated from her various properties and positions, this was hardly a staggering punishment. E.r. Zarevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024 But along with that staggering potential comes the possibility of AIs being unpredictable, offensive, even dangerous. François Candelon, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'staggering.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of staggering was in 1565

Dictionary Entries Near staggering

Cite this Entry

“Staggering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/staggering. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

staggering

adjective
stag·​ger·​ing
: so great as to cause one to stagger : astonishing, overwhelming
a staggering achievement
staggering medical bills
staggeringly
ˈstag-(ə-)riŋ-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on staggering

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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