Stagger — A Vocabulary Story
The Climb at Briksdal
Min adjusted her rucksack as the path twisted upwards towards Briksdal Glacier. Her trekking partner, Oscar, was already a few paces ahead, his boots crunching against loose shale.
"Slow down," Min called. "One wrong step and you'll stagger too close to the edge."
Stagger means to walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall. It also means to astonish or deeply shock. It can also mean to arrange in alternating positions or times.
Oscar laughed, but the wind off the ice was fierce enough to make even the sturdiest hiker stagger. A ranger had staggered the hiking groups so too many people would not crowd the narrow path at once.
Beyond the next bend, the glacier appeared like a frozen river suspended in time, its blue veins glinting under a watery sun.
Then Oscar gave a sudden shout. A patch of moss slipped beneath him, and he began to stagger sideways, arms wheeling. Min lunged, catching the strap of his pack just before he tumbled. Together they staggered backwards onto firmer ground, hearts hammering.
"Thanks," Oscar managed, voice shaky.
They rested on a flat boulder, sharing a flask of cocoa. An older walker passed, leaning on a stick, his stagger careful but determined.
When they reached the glacier's foot, the sheer scale of it staggered Min. Ice towered above them, ancient and silent, while Oscar captured the moment before the light shifted again.
Word Definition
stagger
meaning
to walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall; to astonish or deeply shock; to arrange in alternating positions or times
synonyms
falter · lurch · wobble · startle · stun
antonyms
continue · stay · calm
example sentence
He began to stagger after being hit on the head.