staggered
staggered — adjective
1. feeling extreme surprise and shock because something completely unexpected has h
feeling extreme surprise and shock because something completely unexpected has happened — for example, being staggered by a price, a medical result, or a sudden success.
Mei-Lin was staggered by the news that her younger brother had won the national chess championship.
be staggered by + noun phrase
The doctors looked staggered when the patient who had been in a coma suddenly opened his eyes.
Javier felt completely staggered after learning that the company had offered him the manager job.
The villagers were staggered to receive a large donation from someone they had never met before.
Fatima was staggered that the repair bill came to over three thousand dollars for such a small leak.
- astonished
more neutral; can be positive or negative
- dumbfounded
stronger; implies being so shocked you cannot speak
- flabbergasted
informal; expresses humorous or exaggerated surprise
- unsurprised
expecting what happened
- unmoved
not emotionally affected
文法句型
be staggered + at/by + noun
be staggered + to-infinitive
be staggered + that-clause
用法筆記
Commonly used in passive structures (be staggered). Often followed by the prepositions at or by, or by a to-infinitive or that-clause explaining the cause of the shock.
常見錯誤
2. arranged so that events happen at different times or objects are placed in posit
arranged so that events happen at different times or objects are placed in positions that are not in a straight line, in order to spread out activity or avoid crowding.
The factory introduced staggered shifts so that fewer workers arrived at the same time each morning.
staggered + noun (shifts / hours / working times)
Students take their final exams on staggered dates to prevent overcrowding in the examination hall.
The garden has staggered rows of tomato plants, with taller varieties behind the shorter ones.
Payments for the new sofa can be made in staggered amounts over the next six months.
The apartment windows are set in a staggered pattern so each unit gets sunlight at different times of the day.
- alternating
focuses on the back-and-forth pattern rather than the purpose of spreading things out
- offset
used for physical positioning; common in design and architecture
- staggered out
more informal; implies spreading over a period of time
- simultaneous
happening at the same time
- aligned
arranged in a straight line
文法句型
staggered + noun (hours / payments / rows / dates)
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively as an attributive adjective before a noun (staggered working hours, staggered payments, staggered rows). Rarely used predicatively (*the hours are staggered is possible but sounds slightly less natural).
常見錯誤
staggered — verb
1. to walk or move with weak, unsteady steps, as if you are about to fall, usually
to walk or move with weak, unsteady steps, as if you are about to fall, usually because you are injured, exhausted, or affected by alcohol or illness.
After running for three hours under the hot sun, Mateo staggered into the shade and sat down heavily.
stagger + into [place]
The old woman staggered across the room, gripping the furniture for support with every step.
A strong wave hit the side of the boat, and the sailor staggered sideways, clutching the rail.
The injured fox staggered down the road, leaving small drops of blood on the gravel.
文法句型
stagger + adverb/preposition (into / across / towards / down)
用法筆記
Typically followed by a preposition or adverb of direction (into, across, towards, down, out). The subject is usually a person or animal weakened by injury, illness, exhaustion, or a physical blow.
常見錯誤
2. to shock or surprise someone so deeply that they find it hard to believe or acce
to shock or surprise someone so deeply that they find it hard to believe or accept what they have just learned — used especially for unexpected facts, costs, or discoveries that challenge one's assumptions.
The price of the old painting staggered the museum directors, who had expected a much lower bid.
stagger + direct object (person/group)
It staggered the rescue workers that anyone could have survived the crash with so few injuries.
it staggers + noun + that-clause
What staggered the committee most was the speed at which the new software had been developed.
Olga was staggered to discover that her great-grandmother had been a pilot during the war.
The sheer number of homeless animals in the city staggered everyone who volunteered at the shelter.
文法句型
stagger + noun
it staggers + noun + that-clause
be staggered + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Common in passive voice (be staggered). In active voice, the subject is typically a fact, number, price, or discovery — not a person. Unlike surprise, stagger implies that the information is so shocking it almost stuns you into disbelief.
常見錯誤
3. to set a series of events, payments, shifts, or physical items at deliberately d
to set a series of events, payments, shifts, or physical items at deliberately different times or positions, preventing them from all occurring together or overlapping.
The school staggers the lunch breaks so that three different groups eat in the cafeteria at different times.
stagger + plural direct object (breaks / shifts / payments)
To manage their monthly budget better, the Nguyen family staggered their rent and utility bill due dates.
The delivery company staggers its truck schedules to prevent long queues at the loading dock.
Naveen staggered the planting of his vegetable seeds by two weeks so that the harvest would last longer into the autumn.
- space out
less formal; means to put intervals between things
- spread out
emphasises distributing over a longer period
- offset
used for physical arrangement rather than time
- concentrate
to bring together at one time or place
- align
to bring into the same position or time
文法句型
stagger + noun
stagger + noun + so that / to / over
用法筆記
The object is always a plural or collective noun (shifts, payments, start times) — you cannot stagger a single event. The purpose is almost always to reduce pressure, congestion, or workload.
常見錯誤
staggered — noun
1. a way of walking in which a person or animal moves with unsteady, side-to-side s
a way of walking in which a person or animal moves with unsteady, side-to-side steps, as if about to fall, usually caused by exhaustion, injury, or illness.
The runner's slow stagger across the finish line surprised everyone who had watched him fall during the race.
possessive + stagger — describes a person's unsteady movement
With a noticeable stagger, the exhausted mountaineer made her way toward the rescue hut.
with a stagger — adverbial phrase for manner
The patient's slow stagger down the hospital hallway showed how weak she still felt after the surgery.
Each small stagger brought the injured bird closer to the thick bush where it could hide from the cat.
- stride
a long, confident step
- steady walk
controlled and balanced movement
文法句型
a stagger
with a stagger
用法筆記
Almost always used in the singular with a determiner (a stagger, his stagger). Less common than the verb form; in everyday speech, people prefer to use the verb (he staggered across the room) rather than the noun (his stagger across the room).