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.
The implications of the delay are staggering on several levels.
From Slate • Apr. 24, 2026
The S&P 500 finished nearly 74 points higher on Wednesday, taking the broadest measure of U.S. blue-chip shares to the highest level on record and extending its April advance to a staggering 9.3%.
From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026
The scale of capital being deployed to AI is staggering.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
No wonder so many young adults—and in many cases their parents as well—are staggering under student debt.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
I had just risen to my feet, but this news sent me staggering back into my chair like I was punched.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
