staggering
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
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
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Hatchet
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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.
The local conditions became catastrophic and the rate of the fire's spread was staggering.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Today, it appears the singer is enjoying a much smoother ride, financially, with estimates placing her net worth at a staggering $360 million.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
It’s a staggering thought: Nearly six years ago, one in 10 American families took on the responsibility of home education.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The sheer scope of the album is staggering.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Then he hooked Bull’s arm around his neck and together they rose, and began staggering toward home.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
