Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

staggering

American  
[stag-uh-ring] / ˈstæg ə rɪŋ /

adjective

  1. tending to stagger or overwhelm.

    a staggering amount of money required in the initial investment.
ˈstaggering British  
/ ˈstæɡərɪŋ /

adjective

  1. astounding or overwhelming; shocking

    a staggering increase in demand
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • staggeringly adverb
  • unstaggering adjective

Etymology

Origin of staggering

First recorded in 1555–65; stagger + -ing 2

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.

Just how much oil could be involved when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz and to the broader region is staggering.

From MarketWatch

Prohibition currently functions as an implicit tax of staggering size.

From The Wall Street Journal

Acknowledging the staggering loss of life Ukraine has endured, Zelensky said: "We have every right to say: we have defended our independence, we have not lost our statehood. Ukraine exists not just on the map."

From BBC

More: Big Tech needs a staggering $1.5 trillion to fund the AI boom.

From MarketWatch

Appropriately wearing a sparkly gold dress and performing to Donna Summer, she scored a staggering 150.20 in her free skate.

From BBC

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.