stagger
/ˈstæɡ.ər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈstæɡ.ɚ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsta-gər/ (ame, mw) · /ˈstæɡə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈstæɡər/ (ame, ipa)
stagger — verb
- staggerpresent simple I / you / we / they
- staggers3rd person singular
- staggering-ing form
- staggeredpast simple
1. to walk with sudden, unsteady movements, as though you might fall, often because
to walk with sudden, unsteady movements, as though you might fall, often because you are injured, dizzy, or carrying something heavy
After the long hike, Mei staggered into the cabin and collapsed onto the sofa.
stagger into [place] — movement toward a destination
The old man staggered under the weight of the heavy boxes he was carrying to the truck.
stagger under [weight/burden]
A young soldier staggered out of the burning building, covered in dust and coughing.
The toddler staggered across the room towards her father, her arms stretched out wide.
Luisa staggered backwards when the heavy door suddenly swung open and hit her.
- stride
to walk with long, confident steps
文法句型
stagger + adverb/preposition
stagger + direction
用法筆記
Frequently followed by a preposition of direction (into, out of, across, towards) or under when indicating a burden.
常見錯誤
2. to make someone feel a jolt of surprise so strong that they can barely accept or
to make someone feel a jolt of surprise so strong that they can barely accept or process what they have learned
The news that the local hospital would close staggered the entire community.
stagger + noun phrase (subject = event/ news)
Amara was staggered by the cost of repairing the old house — it was far more than she had saved.
passive: be staggered by [something]
Omar was staggered to learn that his childhood friend had moved away without telling anyone.
It staggered Yuna that her quiet neighbour had been a famous singer throughout the 1990s.
The scale of the disaster staggered even the rescue workers, who had seen many emergencies before.
文法句型
stagger + noun phrase
be staggered + by + noun phrase
be staggered + to + infinitive
it staggers + noun phrase + that-clause
用法筆記
Often used in the passive voice (be staggered). Subject is usually a piece of news, a fact, a number, or an event. The active form it staggers someone that... is common in formal or written English.
常見錯誤
3. to set work schedules, events, or activities at several different points in time
to set work schedules, events, or activities at several different points in time instead of having them happen at the same moment
The school staggered the lunch breaks so that different year groups ate at separate times.
stagger [noun: schedule items]
To reduce traffic jams, the company staggered its employees' start times between 7 and 10 a.m.
stagger [noun] between [time A] and [time B]
The conference organizers staggered the talks so that no two popular events ran at the same hour.
Many factories stagger their workers' shifts so that production can continue through the night.
Teachers often stagger homework deadlines so students do not have three assignments due on the same day.
- spread out
less formal than stagger; can apply to both time and physical distribution
- alternate
implies a regular back-and-forth pattern rather than arbitrary spacing
- offset
focuses on starting at a different point, not necessarily at evenly spaced intervals
- concentrate
to bring together at the same time
- cluster
to group closely together in time
文法句型
stagger + noun phrase
stagger + noun phrase + between + time A + and + time B
用法筆記
Common in business, education, and logistics contexts. The object is typically a plural noun (hours, breaks, shifts, payments, deadlines).
4. to have race participants begin at different moments or from shifted starting ma
to have race participants begin at different moments or from shifted starting marks, so that those on the inside lanes do not benefit unfairly from the curve
The marathon staggered the start times, with the wheelchair racers going first.
stagger start times (race context)
Runners in the 800-metre race are staggered on the track so that everyone covers the same distance.
passive: be staggered on the track
The officials staggered the competitors by placing faster runners further from the starting line.
In a biathlon, the athletes are staggered according to their previous race times.
- space out
more general; stagger in sports implies a fixed offset for fairness
文法句型
stagger the start
be staggered (of a race start)
stagger + competitors + on the track
用法筆記
Primarily used in sports commentary and race organisation. The passive construction is most common: the runners are staggered. Distinguish from sense 3 — sense 4 is specific to race starting positions.
stagger — noun
- staggersingular
- staggersplural
1. an unsteady manner of moving forward on foot, marked by shaky steps that make it
an unsteady manner of moving forward on foot, marked by shaky steps that make it look as though you may fall at any moment
Priya walked with a stagger after twisting her ankle on the rocky hiking trail.
walk with a stagger
After a day of seasickness, Theo managed only a slow stagger across the ship's deck.
The doctor noticed the patient's stagger and asked if he felt dizzy or lightheaded.
With a final stagger, the exhausted climber reached the mountain hut and collapsed.
文法句型
a stagger
with a stagger
用法筆記
Typically used in the singular with an indefinite article (a stagger). Often paired with walk with or manage a stagger.
stagger — adjective
- staggerpositive
- staggerercomparative
- staggerestsuperlative
1. arranged in a pattern where rows, layers, or positions are not directly lined up
arranged in a pattern where rows, layers, or positions are not directly lined up but are shifted slightly so that they overlap or alternate in a regular way
The chairs were arranged in three staggered rows so that everyone could see the stage clearly.
staggered rows
The tiles on the bathroom floor had a staggered pattern, like bricks in a wall.
staggered pattern
Farmers often plant crops in staggered lines to make the best use of sunlight and space.
The carpenter laid the wooden planks in a staggered arrangement to make the floor stronger.
Staggered seating in the theatre allowed every audience member an unobstructed view.
- alternating
focuses on the regular back-and-forth; staggered often implies an offset of half a unit
- offset
similar meaning but 'staggered' is more common in British English for rows
- zigzag
suggests a sharper, V-shaped pattern rather than a gentle shift
文法句型
staggered + noun
用法筆記
Common in construction, design, and agriculture. This is the adjectival use of the past participle staggered. It describes the resulting arrangement, not an action.