staggering
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- staggeringly adverb
- unstaggering adjective
Etymology
Origin of staggering
Explanation
A staggering amount is an astonishing, astounding, stupefying amount. Anything staggering blows your mind. If you know that stagger means to stumble around uncertainly, then you're close to the meaning of staggering: this is a word for things that are so hard to believe you might fall down when you hear them. If the President gets shot, that's staggering news. If there's a major earthquake, that's staggering. Alien life contacting the Earth would be extremely staggering. Anything that knocks your socks off or makes your mind reel is staggering.
Vocabulary lists containing staggering
Tuck Everlasting
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Hatchet
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
NAEP Test Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Perhaps his most ambitious abode is his as-yet unfinished megamansion in Palm Beach, which is reportedly going to be worth a staggering $1 billion when completed.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
To mark the occasion, Hun Sen, an aficionado of luxury watches, gave each leader a $20,000 limited-edition timepiece—donated by Chen Zhi, whose staggering wealth helped gain him entry into Cambodia’s political elite.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
The repeated failure to divulge the result of Lord Mandelson's vetting process was "incredible", "staggering" and "astonishing", the prime minister said.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
There are several factors driving the staggering heat, including a unyielding ridge of high pressure straddling Southern California and weaker-than-normal coastal winds, which typically drive upwelling along the coast.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026
I scooped Helena into my arms, staggering to my feet.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
