Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Extremely surprising, shocking, or impressive to the point of being overwhelming: The word "staggering" describes something so large, great, or intense that it causes astonishment or a feeling of being mentally or emotionally overwhelmed, as if one might physically stagger.

Usage

"Staggering" is used to emphasize the extreme degree of a quantity, quality, or effect. It often modifies nouns related to size, amount, cost, effort, or impact (e.g., a staggering amount, a staggering achievement). It functions as an attributive adjective (before a noun) or a predicative adjective (after a linking verb like "is" or "was").

Examples

• Attributive use (before a noun):
  • The project required a staggering investment of time and money.
  • They faced staggering odds but still managed to succeed.
• Predicative use (after a linking verb):
  • The cost of the new bridge is simply staggering.
  • The loss of biodiversity in the region is staggering.

Advanced Usage

• "a staggering blow": a shocking and devastating setback or piece of news.
  • The sudden death of the CEO was a staggering blow to the company's morale.
• "to a staggering degree": to an astonishing or overwhelming extent.
  • The software improved efficiency to a staggering degree.

Variants and Related Words

• Stagger (verb): To walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall; to astonish or deeply shock.
  • The news made him stagger back in disbelief.
• Staggeringly (adverb): In an astonishing or overwhelming manner.
  • The view from the summit was staggeringly beautiful.

Synonyms

• Astonishing: Extremely surprising or amazing.
• Astounding: Shockingly impressive or surprising.
• Stupefying: Making someone unable to think or feel properly due to shock or exhaustion.
• Overwhelming: Very great in amount, so much as to be overpowering.

Antonyms

• Insignificant: Too small or unimportant to be worth consideration.
• Unimpressive: Not inspiring respect or admiration.
• Expected: Regarded as likely to happen; not surprising.

Idioms and Common Phrases

• "a staggering sum": an astonishingly large amount of money.
  • They donated a staggering sum to charity.
• "leave someone staggering": to shock or astonish someone profoundly.
  • The final revelation in the trial left the public staggering.

Adjective

1. so surprisingly impressive as to stun or overwhelm
   • such an enormous response was astonishing
   • an astounding achievement
   • the amount of money required was staggering
   • suffered a staggering defeat
   • the figure inside the boucle dress was stupefying