staggered

American

[stag-erd] / ˈstæg ərd /

adjective

arranged in a series of alternating or continually overlapping intervals of time.

Board members serve staggered four-year terms, with new directors replacing outgoing ones each year.
arranged so as to alternate on either side of a center.

A circular base approximately 2 meters in diameter is placed atop a couple of staggered layers of brick to allow for aeration from below.
scheduled or ordered in gradual stages; phased.

Microsoft has confirmed that the new update will be a staggered release.
rendered helpless with astonishment; shocked.

Shakespeare’s King Lear questions everything we know, posing to our staggered imaginations the possibility that the cosmos is immoral, even malevolent.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of stagger.

Other Word Forms

unstaggered

adjective

Etymology

Origin of staggered

stagger ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

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.

See Examples For:

staggered

The staggered release, with cybersecurity partners first and everyone else later, comes amid a safety debate now consuming the AI industry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

I didn’t feel any affinity with the humanoid that smashed Bolt’s 100-meter record, but found the robot weightlifter that crumpled under a 15kg barbell and staggered into a table very relatable.

From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026

Still, because the homes are staggered up a hillside, upward of 100 properties could gain a better lake view from the poisoned trees’ removal, according to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026